Stick confirms timeline for Ox's return
INJURY UPDATE: Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick has confirmed when prop Ox Nche will return to the pitch.
Nche was ruled out with injury early on Friday morning ahead of the Boks’ Rugby Championship clash against Argentina at Kings Park on Saturday.
He’s been replaced by Boan Venter, with Marco van Staden drafted in as the hooker replacement and Jan-Hendrik Wessels shifting to loosehead prop replacement.
Nche has featured in all of the Boks’ Rugby Championship games this season thus far.
Stick spoke about the impact the change will have on the team and how they’re prepared for it.
He also confirmed that Nche’s injury isn’t serious and that it was a precautionary measure, and confirmed when he’ll be back in action.
The article continues below…
“I don’t think it will disrupt the team because if you look at a player like Boan [Venter], he’s been with us throughout the season.
“When he was afforded an opportunity to play, he grabbed it with both hands, and he’s been good every time he gets a chance to play.
“Sometimes he had opportunities to start, and at other times he played off the bench.
“He understands how we operate as a team, and he’s been training with us all week.
“We wanted to give Ox [Nche] the best chance to recover from a niggle he picked up against New Zealand.
“We just wanted to give him some fair time to recover from it.
“He’s not 100 percent, so we don’t want to push things, so we decided to pull him from the team.
“Hopefully, by next week, he will have fully recovered, but he’s not far from being 100 percent fit.”
