Ox Nché ruled out of yearend tour with serious ankle and knee injury

Springbok loosehead prop Ox Nché has been ruled out for the remainder of the yearend tour after suffering a serious ankle and knee injury in the first half of South Africa’s 61-7 win over Japan at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, coach Rassie Erasmus said. Nché was forced from the field inside the opening 20 minutes and was seen on crutches after the match. He returned to South Africa on Sunday for scans to determine the full extent of the damage.

“It’s pretty serious. I don’t think he’ll play the rest of this tour,” Erasmus said, adding that the injury occurred in a tackle situation and affected both Nché’s ankle and knee. Gerhard Steenekamp replaced Nché during the match and played more than an hour, while other front-row options in the touring squad include Boan Venter, Wilco Louw and rookie tighthead Zach Porthen.

Erasmus said the team had called up Asenathi Ntlabakanye as immediate cover. Ntlabakanye, who made his Test debut in July and featured for the Barbarians against an All Blacks XV at Twickenham on Saturday, joined the Springbok squad in London on Sunday and travelled with the team to France. Erasmus said Thomas du Toit, who has been used mainly at tighthead this year,...