Springboks prop Ox Nche is reportedly considering a move to France while the Stormers are lining up a move for Lions star Sanele Nohamba.

World Cup-winning prop Nche’s contract is said to be expiring at the end of the current season and the Bok powerhouse is considering his options.

Nche joined the Sharks in 2020 from the Cheetahs and has quickly become a pivotal cog in the scrum for both club and country.

Ox Nche on the move?

According to a report by RugbyPass, the Sharks are on the fence about whether or not they can keep him beyond the end of the current season and French clubs are already expressing their interest in the world-class loosehead prop.

Nche is the second current Springbok to be linked with a move away from the Sharks with a report from the same publication stating that Lukhanyo Am could also depart at the end of the season.

The Sharks’ midfield depth has been boosted by the return of Andre Esterhuizen from Harlequins this season while youngsters Jurenzo Julius and Litelihle Bester have impressed during the Currie Cup. This while the Durbanites also have ex-Springboks centre Francois Venter on their books, as well as rising star Ethan Hooker, who was involved in Rassie Erasmus’ training camps.

Nche is currently the Sharks’ and Boks’ go-to choice in the starting number one jersey, but the side signed the versatile Trevor Nyakane this season with fellow Bok Ntuthuko Mchunu continuing to impress.

The four South African URC teams are set to get a boost in funding next season which could assist the Sharks in retaining the services of Nche.

According to Rapport, the unions will vote on the split of the income from broadcasting rights and sponsorships tallying up to about R400 million.

The report suggests the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers are set to get around R50 million each as SA Rugby gives the franchises a bigger slice of cake than in previous years.

Stormers go shopping in Johannesburg

Paul de Wet’s long-rumoured move to the Bulls is on the verge of completion according to Rapport and Stormers boss John Dobson is already scouring the market for his replacement.

De Wet’s future has been hotly debated in recent months with the scrum-half linked with a move to the Bulls and attracting interest from French clubs. However, he looks set to remain in South Africa and join Jake White’s charges ahead of the 2025/26 season.

According to the report, Dobson is a fan of Nohamba – who was crowned the URC Player of the Season last season – and is looking to lure the playmaker to Cape Town as De Wet’s replacement.

Nohamba is primarily a scrum-half but featured heavily at number 10 for the Lions during the 2023/24 season with his form leading many to call for him to get recalled to the Springboks squad.

Meanwhile, the report adds that former Sharks prop Carlu Sadie is being targeted by the Bulls. The tighthead joined Bordeaux at the start of last season but could return to South Africa joining White’s side on July 1.

However, the prop’s agent denied claims of the move when contacted by the publication.

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Sean Fitzpatrick claims Springboks have ‘no major weaknesses’ while ex-Ireland star declares Rassie Erasmus’ side ‘one of the best of all time’

One of the game’s greats, Sean Fitzpatrick, believes that Rassie Erasmus has created a team that is akin to the 2011-15 All Blacks side.

Following their triumph in 2023, the Springboks matched New Zealand’s feat eight years prior by claiming back-to-back Rugby World Cup titles.

However, New Zealand were far more dominant between global tournaments, while South Africa’s results were mixed.

Since the success in France, though, the Boks have been impressive despite the narrow defeat to Ireland in July.

Rugby Championship excellence

They have won all four Rugby Championship matches so far, including consecutive victories over the All Blacks in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

Legendary New Zealand hooker Fitzpatrick says that Erasmus’ men have “no major weaknesses that I’m aware of”, and then praised the head coach’s squad development.

“The All Blacks, who won the World Cup crown consecutively in 2011 and 2015, had a group of 36 players, each of whom could play in a final without sacrificing quality,” he told Rapport.

“This is exactly what Rassie is doing, by giving all of his players exposure to a variety of competitive environments.

“It is interesting how rugby develops, with Antoine Dupont of France having such a decisive impact on the Olympic Games from the bench.

“This has long since dawned on Rassie, with the understanding that impact players like Kwagga Smith made during the World Cup tournament last year.”

 Former Ireland and British and Irish Lions scrum-half John Robbie is also a fan of the current South African team.

Andy Farrell’s men led the world rankings going into the World Cup and also have a better head-to-head record with the Boks over recent times, but it is Erasmus’ outfit that have the silverware.

“All that matters is what happens on the field. The scoreboard is the only ranking. My Irish mates get mad when I point out that Ireland have no World Cup title to show for it, even though they’ve been number one a couple of times,” Robbie said.

“The Boks, on the other hand, have already won a record four times. Based on that alone, they must be considered one of the very best of all time.

“Since the game became professional, most of the traditionally weaker rugby nations, such as Argentina, Italy and Fiji, have pulled up their socks and there are no easy games anymore. For the Boks to be able to win successive World Cup titles shows how much self-confidence they have.

“You just know that eventually they will smoke the pipe and that is a character trait of top teams in any sport.”

Spotting a weakness

Unlike Fitzpatrick, Robbie does see a weakness, however, and that comes behind the scrum. The Boks are looking to develop their game having hired Tony Brown as an attack coach, but the former Ireland star still believes that there is plenty to work on in that area.

“The backs still run too sideways and this is taboo. The tries they do score are mostly thanks to individual brilliance. Scoring backline tries against well organized defences only comes with time,” he added.