Springbok prop Ox Nche suffered a season-ending leg injury during the team's 61-7 victory over Japan at Wembley Stadium. Asenathi Ntlabakanye has been called up as replacement despite an ongoing doping case. The squad now prepares for a tough Test against France in Paris.
The Springboks secured a dominant 61-7 win over Japan at London's Wembley Stadium on Saturday, but the victory came at a cost. Loosehead prop Ox Nche, a standout performer this season, was forced off early in the second half after being hit off the ball by Japan lock Warner Dearns. Coach Rassie Erasmus confirmed Nche sustained knee and ankle damage, ruling him out for the remainder of the tour. Nche has returned to South Africa for scans to assess the full extent of his injury.
Lions prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye, who was playing for the Barbarians against an All Blacks Fifteen in London, joined the Springboks squad on Sunday morning. A capped player with a Test debut against Italy in July, Ntlabakanye steps in amid a doping investigation. On 9 September, the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (Saids) charged him with using dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a non-specified performance-enhancing substance. Ntlabakanye had declared the drug on a medical form; it was prescribed by doctors to address weight issues, and his sample did not test positive for it. Saids opted against a provisional suspension, viewing it as a medical error, and Ntlabakanye remains eligible to play pending a hearing in January or February 2026.
Erasmus expressed sympathy for Nche, stating, “We feel for Ox, and we wish him all the best with his injury and recovery.” He praised Ntlabakanye's familiarity with the team: “Asenathi is a capped Springbok and he has been with us for a large part of the season, so he is familiar with our structures and systems.” The call-up compounds challenges for the front row, with hooker Jan-Hendrik Wessels suspended for eight weeks. Edinburgh's Boan Venter and Bath's Thomas du Toit are also in the touring party, providing depth ahead of the France match at Stade de France. Erasmus warned of the intense atmosphere: “It’s a pressure cooker, and it gets to you.” The team for France will be named on Monday, 3 November.