‘Mr No Salads’ Ox Nche named Sports Personality of the Year

Just when it seemed the Springboks could not add to their list of achievements this year, scrum specialist Ox Nche has been named the Sports Industry Awards ‘Sports Personality of the Year’.

Any South African or rugby fan knows that 2024 was the year of the Springboks. Coach Rassie Erasmus’s 52-man squad went from underdogs to overtaking Australia and New Zealand as the team to beat in The Rugby Championship. Among these players is Retshegofaditswe ‘Ox’ Nche, a man of few words whose actions speak volumes.

For his performances in the green and gold Springboks jersey and the black and white Sharks jersey, Ox was honoured as the ‘Sports Personality of the Year’ at this year’s South African Sports Industry Awards (SASIA), held on Tuesday. The SASIA is a prestigious event that celebrates exceptional sporting achievements and campaigns by South Africa’s talented athletes.

Unsurprisingly, the ceremony turned into a Springboks showcase, with the team winning multiple awards, including recognition for the nostalgic Chasing the Sun 2 documentary that captivated Mzansi. However, Ox’s win stands out, as the scrum specialist often operates in the shadow of superstar teammates like Siya Kolisi and Eben Etzebeth. This was evident when he was excluded from the World Rugby Player of the Year conversation, despite delivering one of the most dominant loosehead prop performances.

Congratulations to Ox Nche for winning the Sports Personality of the Year at the 2024 Sports Industry Awards pic.twitter.com/9e7JMtApgL

— The Sharks (@SharksRugby) December 4, 2024

Proving he is a man of few words, Ox responded to the accolade with a simple ‘Danko‘ on X, acknowledging the congratulatory messages.

Danko https://t.co/RwLF4FNjlE

— Retshegofaditswe Nche (@oxnche) December 4, 2024

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