Springbok assistant coach Deon Davids gave encouraging news regarding Ox Nche on Monday afternoon. The Springbok powerhouse was forced to leave the field against England last weekend with a cut on his knee.
“Ox got a cut above his knee but he recovered well. He went to the gym this morning [Monday] and he, like any other player, are available for selection, ” Davids said.
Davids also insisted on Monday that they will not underestimate Wales in their final Castle Lager Outgoing Tour match in Cardiff on Saturday after the hosts suffered their 11th defeat in a row, going down 52-20 against Australia on Sunday.
“Wales showed against Australia what a gutsy team they are because although they started the match slowly, they fought back strongly before Australia pulled away in the end,” said Davids.
“Their scrums were good, and they are a physical side with good structures. They may not be in a good place (given their recent results), but we respect them as a team, and they’ve proven against us in the past that they are one of those sides that just don’t go away.
“Over and above that we approach each game with pride and respect for the opposition, and our main objective is to go out there and always give our best.”
“We always want to select our best team whenever we make changes, especially when we bring in younger talent to ensure that we surround them with good experience and leadership,” Davids said during a media briefing on Monday.