We know we have a target on our backs, says Nché

The Springboks are on a hugely impressive run of nine wins from 10 Tests in the past year, and prop Retshegofaditswe “Ox” Nché says that has put a target on their backs.

The wins include four over old foes New Zealand — a World Cup warm-up at Twickenham; one in the World Cup final in 2023; and the two at home in the past fortnight, which have put SA on the verge of a fifth Rugby Championship title.

There were also the two away to Australia in August that put the Springboks in touching distance of the southern hemisphere title that has been dominated by the All Blacks. SA could wrap up the Rugby Championship with three points from their last two matches away against Argentina on September 21 and in Mbombela a week later.

The Springboks are in an unprecedented period of success. In France they surpassed the All Blacks (three World Cup titles) by going to four titles. The manner in which they have started the year after that feat — with the core of a side capable of reaching the next global showpiece in 2027, a wealth of talent emerging and the continuity of maverick Rassie Erasmus as head coach — suggests a third successive World Cup could be on the cards.

It’s been talked about already by some Boks, but such a suggestion also presents the danger of getting ahead of themselves.

Nché said SA were victims of their own success. It’s one thing scaling a peak; others are always coming to dislodge you when you’re there.

“We are ranked No 1 in the world and we want to stay there, that is our biggest goal,” he said, adding the Boks had to remain focused for the rest of an international season, which includes an end-of-year tour to Europe.

“We might have won the past two games against the All Blacks, but they are a team we should never take lightly. We must not think this is our time because you always have to earn the respect.

“That is the most important thing for us at the moment: we have to keep on earning the respect of the opposition in every game we play. As much as we are doing well, we have a target on our backs and teams are definitely going to work extra hard to do well against us.

“They are going to produce their best games when they play us and that puts us in a tough situation. At the same time, it is a challenge most of us are looking forward to.”

The Boks have dominated the All Blacks in their past four meetings, but Nché chose to take the humble route, saying their focus was on building a team for the next World Cup.

“We have goals as a team. In 2018 coach Rassie Erasmus had just come and we had a year to prepare for the World Cup. Then we had Covid-19 and this meant we had a year to prepare for the next World Cup.

“But now we have a full four years to actually prepare with all the players available to build a good squad and that is our main goal. It is not about thinking that we are the top dogs because if you lose two games it’s a different story. We are just focusing on building the best possible team for the next World Cup.”