The Springboks will charge into Saturday’s Rugby Championship decider at Twickenham with their scrum engine revving at full throttle, as coach Rassie Erasmus recalled powerhouse prop Ox Nche to the starting XV for the clash against Argentina.
Nche, scratched late in Durban with a niggle, returns to pack down alongside Malcolm Marx and Thomas du Toit, a front-row combination built like a rolling tank.
His comeback is expected to give the Boks the extra shove they need in a contest Erasmus has dubbed “a Final”.
“This match is a Final for us, and we know how dangerous Argentina can be, so we selected combinations we feel will be best suited for this game,” Erasmus said.
The Bok coach resisted wholesale changes, making only four tweaks to his match-day 23. Nche is the sole adjustment to the starting side, while Grant Williams, Jesse Kriel and Bongi Mbonambi rejoin the bench, with the familiar five-three split of forwards and backs.
Ox Nche is back as Rassie Erasmus makes a few minor tweaks to the #Springboks side for Saturday's Castle Lager Rugby Championship decider in London 🐂
Catch all the action live on @SSRugby 👍#ForeverGreenForeverGold— Springboks (@Springboks) September 30, 2025
“Ox and Grant could have played last week if we really needed them, but Boan (Venter) and Morne (van den Berg) did really well, while Jesse was rotated in the last two matches and is raring to go.
“The same applies to Bongi, who last played against Australia, and who is excited for this opportunity,” Erasmus explained.
With Eben Etzebeth marking his 138th Test in the boiler room, Siya Kolisi winning his 98th cap, and the likes of Pieter-Steph du Toit and Jasper Wiese steaming in the loose trio, the Bok pack looks primed for a battle of attrition.
Behind them, the backline remains unchanged, with Cobus Reinach and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu steering the attack, Damian Willemse patrolling fullback, and the firepower of Cheslin Kolbe, Ethan Hooker, Canan Moodie and Damian de Allende ready to pounce.
Erasmus is braced for a fierce Pumas backlash:
“Last week they were in the running to win the title, and they’ll be determined to make up for that result, so we are expecting them to throw everything at us on Saturday.
“They may be out of the title race, but they have beaten the All Blacks, Wallabies, and British & Irish Lions this season, and it would be a big target for them to defeat us as well.”
The coach knows the danger but believes his men’s blend of experience and youthful energy is cut for the moment:
“Their experience, combined with the younger players in the team, makes this an exciting squad, which is exactly what we need in a match that will essentially be the Rugby Championship decider.”
By the time the Boks run out at 15:00 SA time, they’ll already know what’s required to lift the crown after the Wallabies face the All Blacks earlier.
But Erasmus insists there will be no shortcuts:
“We still need to go out there and deliver against a quality outfit… the stakes are high for us, and we know what we are capable of if we remain within our structures and play for the full 80 minutes.”
SPRINGBOKS – 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche.
Bench: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Grant Williams, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Jesse Kriel.
