Beast: Ox key to wounded Boks’ turnaround

Beast Mtawarira believes Ox Nché will have a major role to play for the Springboks in Saturday’s Cape Town showdown against the All Blacks.

Writing for Daily Maverick, Mtawarira said Nché was dominant in the first half of the Ellis Park Test before leaving the field in the 45th minute.

“If I were Rassie Erasmus, I would certainly be looking at keeping Ox on the field for longer. He was devastating in the first half and gave the Boks a real advantage up front.

“I know he was playing his first game in almost six weeks following a knee injury and needed to be managed, but it would be good to see Ox go on for longer this weekend.”

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However, Mtawarira stressed that scrum dominance alone will not be enough to beat New Zealand.

“The scrum cannot win a Test match on its own,” he said. “The Boks need to tidy up their attack and, more importantly, convert the opportunities they created. You don’t get many clear-cut chances in Test rugby. When they come, you have to finish them and put points on the board.”

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While the All Blacks carry all the confidence and momentum into the Cape Town Stadium cauldron, Mtawarira has cautioned the New Zealanders against expecting a repeat performance.

“Cape Town can also feel like a home game for the All Blacks, given the incredible support they receive from the local crowd. That could certainly play in their favour,” he wrote.

“But we all know one thing: a wounded Springbok is a dangerous animal. The backlash could be devastating for the All Blacks.”

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– Beast Mtawarira is a brand ambassador for Monster Energy

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