VIDEO: Scrum haters should watch league, curt Ox exclaims
VIDEO: New scrum law or not, the Springboks’ destructive loosehead, Ox Nche, reckons it will just be business as usual when they come face to face with the Wallabies in Brisbane on Saturday.
The 29-year-old Nche, known as the man who turned the balance of the World Cup semifinal against England in South Africa’s favour last year when he came off the bench, is not fazed by the latest law change being tested in the Rugby Championship.
A scrum must be set 30 seconds from the time the mark for the scrum is made by the referee. A Free Kick shall be awarded at the place of the scrum against the team that causes a delay.
In the Chasing the Sun 2 documentary, Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus likened his squat prop to a bar fridge.
Teammates Trevor Nyakane and Frans Malherbe describe their teammate’s build as stocky and barrel-shaped.
Renowned for his impeccable and intimate knowledge of cakes, the burly prop jokes about his own size by saying he doesn’t count calories, he counts cake slices.
But when it comes to scrums, there is no joking around for the Bok prop who will earn his 32nd Test cap this weekend.
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Nche was asked about the influence of the shot clock on the scrum and if it will have an adverse effect on the players.
“We did speak about it and made plans for it.
“It is not depowering the scrums, it just demands more from the front row or the entire pack actually.
“I’ve said this before, if people don’t want scrums in rugby, they should go watch rugby league because there are no scrums there and it is similar,” Nche said without flinching.
“In terms of the law…[it will] make the scrums a bit quicker.
“As a tight forward you have to meet the fitness requirements, make sure you set quickly, make sure that the game just keeps flowing and you don’t have guys slowing the ball down because they are at a disadvantage.
“So it is beneficial, it just requires more from the forwards,” he calmly explained.
Looking ahead at the upcoming tussle with the Wallabies, he remained stone-faced.
“Their scrummaging can be very unpredictable, and they are a team that stays in the contest, so it will be important for us to get go-forward and try to dominate that area of the game.
“I think the teams that adapt to the law quicker are the ones that will do well.
“That said, it is going to be a big challenge, so we have to be prepared for anything they throw at us.”
The prop was comfortable with the Boks’ preparations ahead of their first outing in the Rugby Championship in a city where the Springboks have a dismal record.
“It’s something we’ve been looking at since before the law changes were brought in,” said Nche.
“The key will obviously be to adapt as quickly as possible, and hopefully things will go well for us.
“We are not in Super Rugby anymore. I think this is the first time since last year that we get to scrum against them,” he concluded.
