Ox Nche calls for strong bounce-back after Wallabies collapse

Springbok prop Ox Nche was visibly disappointed on Saturday night after the Boks had capitulated in the second half of their Rugby Championship opener against the Wallabies to lose 28-22.

Nche says the Boks must bounce back strongly on Saturday in Cape Town to get their title defence back on track. The Boks could not even muster a losing bonus point at Ellis Park.

The Wallabies outscored the Boks six tries to three, overturning a 22-0 lead by the hosts after 20 minutes in the process, and Nche attributed the result to mistakes and a failure to execute their plans in the second half.

“We want to win the Rugby Championship,” said Nche. “This coming weekend is a must-win Test (against Australia once more), and we have to get as many points as we can.”

Reflecting on Saturday’s result in Johannesburg, the Bok prop said: “At halftime, the chat was simply to stick to the plan and execute things, as it was working. But we just went off the script in the second half.

“They scored three easy tries early on, and it wasn’t from a good set piece. They were just more active and ready, and they pounced ahead.

“They just seemed more prepared than we were, and they used every opportunity they got, whereas we didn’t. Everyone just started going off on their own plan instead of sticking to the plan we had as a team.”

Asked what they had to do to turn things around, Nche said: “For me personally, it means more hard work, more preparation, and to be better prepared. To do whatever you did last week, and do more of it. The only thing we can do is to execute better.”

After the return match against the Wallabies, the Boks face New Zealand in Auckland and Wellington, and Argentina in Durban and London, respectively.