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Springboks star opens up on ‘one of the hardest’ four weeks of his career

Springboks prop Ox Nche has described the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Series against the All Blacks as “the hardest four weeks that I’ve ever had” in rugby.

Published: Friday, 25 September 2026 at 4:42 AM
Springboks star opens up on ‘one of the hardest’ four weeks of his career
Key Things to Know
  • Ox Nche described the four-match series against the All Blacks as one of his career's hardest periods.
  • South Africa secured a 3-1 series victory over New Zealand to remain ranked number one in the world.
  • Coach Rassie Erasmus made 13 changes to the starting lineup for the upcoming match against Australia.
The Story in 60 Seconds

Springboks prop Ox Nche labeled South Africa's four-match series against the All Blacks as one of the hardest four weeks of his rugby career. Nche played more than 185 minutes across the four Tests as South Africa earned a 3-1 series victory, maintaining their top spot in the World Rugby rankings ahead of the 2027 Men's Rugby World Cup.

Following the series conclusion in Baltimore, head coach Rassie Erasmus made 13 changes to the starting lineup for the upcoming match against Australia. Nche was named on the bench alongside experienced players Malcolm Marx and Jasper Wiese, with only Eben Etzebeth and Ethan Hooker retaining their starting roles.

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