Tonga prop Ben Tameifuna has opened up over how respect for Springboks captain Siya Kolisi saw him miss a great moment to swap shirts with one of his toughest opponents.
Tonga prop Ben Tameifuna has shared how Springboks captain Siya Kolisi denied him an opportunity to swap jerseys with one of his top opponents at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Tameifuna’s Tonga faced South Africa for the first time at the tournament and he had a tough battle in the scrum with Springboks’ prop Ox Nche.
While he weighs 20kgs heavier than Nche, the South African still gave him a hard time in the contest, which the Boks won 49-18 with three first-half tries from Cobus Reinach, Canan Moodie and Deon Fourie added to further touchdowns from Jesse Kriel, Willie le Roux, Marco van Staden and Kwagga Smith.
Nche left a big impression on Tameifuna and after the game, he was determined to get his shirt.
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However, Kolisi spoiled his plan as he asked to swap shirts first and out of respect for the Springboks skipper, he accepted, missing the chance to get Nche’s jersey.
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“I wanted to change with Ox at the World Cup, but Siya beat me to it,” Tameifuna told the Aotearoa Rugby Podcast as quoted by Planet Rugby.
“So, I would have liked to get one of his. He’s such a strong scrummager and character, he’s quick as well I’ve seen a few runaways as well.
“It would have been a good player. I would have loved to get one of his jerseys, but obviously, Siya beat me to it at the World Cup.”
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The Bordeaux prop further explained how he was left worse from his challenges with Nche during the World Cup game.
“The first scrum, we hit in and I just felt my spine just go ‘cluck, cluck, cluck’ down my back, so that was a first I guess,” he added.
“Yeah, he is so powerful and knowing his history, and then he’s actually pretty quiet as well. I remember chatting to him after the game, and he is just pretty quiet on the sideline but just such a strong scrummager and so quick, I would like to have his jersey.”
However, while he has lauded the power and strength of Nche, Tameifuna rates All Blacks prop Tony Woodcock as the strongest ever player he has ever come up against.
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