Ox Nche has singled out Springboks teammate Frans Malherbe as the best scrummager he has faced throughout his career.<\/p>\n
The 2023 World Cup-winning loosehead prop hailed Malherbe\u2019s<\/a> simple approach to scrummaging and his ability to adapt on the fly. Nche also detailed some of the ploys he uses to get the head of opposition tighthead props.<\/p>\n He did so during his appearance on the For the Love of Rugby SA<\/a> podcast with fellow Springboks<\/a> front rowers Trevor Nyakane and Steven Kitshoff.<\/p>\n Why Frans Malherbe is the best scrummager Ox Nche has faced<\/p>\n Kitshoff put the question of who the best scrummager you have ever faced to Nche, and despite Nyakane\u2019s best efforts, his name wasn\u2019t the one the loosehead picked out.<\/p>\n \u201cIt would have to be Buffel [Frans Malherbe],\u201d Nche<\/a> said.<\/p>\n Laughing off the snub, Nyakane agreed: \u201cHe can give you a tough one, hey, once he starts leaning in there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd he has a bigger chest than you. So if you had a bigger chest, maybe you,\u201d Nche joked.<\/p>\n With Malherbe getting the nod in the scrummaging department, Kitshoff hoped Nche would give Nyakane some love with the pace, asking which of the pair would win a 40m.<\/p>\n \u201cBuffel [Buffalo] has longer legs, also,\u201d Nche laughed. Nyakane disagreed, saying, \u201cThere is no way,\u201d but the former stuck by his guns, backing Malherbe.<\/p>\n \u201cTalking about Frans, he\u2019s had such an incredible Springbok career, and you and Trev have played against him and with him so many times, but for you, what makes him such a good scrummager, and why is it so difficult to actually scrum against him?\u201d Kitshoff asked.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat makes it \u2018Geez, this guy is one of the best tightheads in the world? What makes you feel like that?’\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFrans is always willing to learn,\u201d Nche replied. \u201cHe\u2019s open to whatever you have to say, but he just wants to be comfortable in the scrum; that\u2019s his whole aim.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I am scrumming with him, he\u2019ll tell me, \u2018Relax, I\u2019m going to sort out my guy, just sort out your guy, so that we can be fine.\u2019 It\u2019s the simplest thing. He can communicate like that, and he learns on the go, and he is able to adapt easily. He will realise, \u2018This guy is quicker than me. Okay.\u2019 And he gets lower than you or finds a way to keep his opponent out.<\/p>\n \u201cHe plans and reacts on the go, and that\u2019s what makes it difficult; you never know what you\u2019re getting on a day.\u201d<\/p>\n Cheslin Kolbe\u2019s future decided amid Stormers\u2019 pursuit as John Dobson looks abroad for Springbok\u2019s replacement<\/a><\/p>\n Chatty props<\/p>\n Nyakane says that being \u2018coachable\u2019 is important for a prop and added that it\u2019s key to listen to your scrum partner.<\/p>\n \u201cSaying I\u2019m feeling this, I\u2019m feeling that, let\u2019s adapt together, and that\u2019s how you get a scrum going,\u201d the 36-year-old added.<\/p>\n A teammate of Malherbe\u2019s at the Stormers and Springboks, Kitshoff highlighted another \u2018impressive\u2019 attribute of the tighthead prop.<\/p>\n \u201cMid scrum Frans says, \u2018Go Ox go, hold your hips\u2019,\u201d the retired front rower said with Nyakane pointing to Nche, saying: \u201cThey are the same; he also likes talking in the scrum.<\/p>\n \u201cMost people in that situation can\u2019t breathe. You guys are chatting.\u201d<\/p>\n Nche agreed,\u00a0\u201cThat\u2019s the best thing about him. Again, his whole aim is to be in a place where he is comfortable. That\u2019s why most guys will tell you that even if you get him on the head [and start to lift], he actually just lies on you, and you just give up, it\u2019s too late for you.\u201d<\/p>\n Faf de Klerk snubs overseas interest as Springboks star accepts pay cut to complete shock South Africa return<\/a><\/p>\n Another aspect of the scrum that the trio agreed was important was the mind games.<\/p>\n \u201cHe [Malherbe] makes it so uncomfortable,\u201d Kitshoff said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe often talk at the Springboks about making it personal, and it almost becomes like tough to make it personal, but we all know you love to get stuck in, give a little bit of a chirp afterwards, tell us about that mindset of like I\u2019m going to make it super personal against this opponent I\u2019m scrummaging against today.\u201d<\/p>\n