SIGNPOST
He could cement his place in the Bok starting line-up‚ but Malcolm Marx is yet to commit his future to South African rugby.
He is in a position to cement his place in the Springbok starting line-up‚ but Malcolm Marx is yet to commit his immediate future to South African rugby.
Marx is one of a handful of players earmarked for tripartite agreements between the provinces and SA Rugby, but the young hooker’s contract is yet to be finalised.
They have until July 1 to seal the deal or run the risk of losing the player.
Marx‚ however‚ appears to be in pole position to start as hooker for the Boks following the international retirement of former captain Adriaan Strauss.
Marx was named in Allister Coetzee’s Springbok squad for the Test series against France, with Bongi Mbonambi and Chiliboy Ralepelle the other hookers in the 31-man group.
Like last season, Marx has again impressed in Super Rugby‚ which must be comforting to Coetzee after he exposed the 22-year-old to a Test baptism of fire against the All Blacks in Christchurch last year.
In explaining why Bismarck du Plessis was overlooked for his squad to play France in June‚ Coetzee said Marx‚ who came on as a substitute‚ was thrown in the deep end in 2016.
“His first throw-in was on our try line. He had to do it under immense pressure. It is unfair to a young player‚” Coetzee recalled.
Marx may still occasionally miss his jumpers in the lineout but it is an element of his play that has come on in leaps and bounds, noted former Bok hooker Owen Nkumane.
“His lineouts have improved. I think he now is more careful about where he throws. He throws where he feels more comfortable and it means that he aims at his banker more often. That’s why his accuracy stats are up. He’s put in the work.”
Nkumane‚ however‚ is not entirely sold on Marx being the undisputed number one No 2.
“I have a bit of a dilemma about who should start and who goes on the bench. I think Bongi is more reliable in the lineout. I suppose it depends on what the coach wants.
“Malcolm adds so much to the loose play but Bongi doesn’t back away. They are actually quite similar.”
Nkumane said it would serve Coetzee well if he spread game time between the two hookers equally.
“I think they should take a horses-for-courses approach.
“They should be sensible about this and give them a fair chance. Don’t get into a situation where one accumulates a lot more Tests than the other. They should share the workload.”
If Coetzee is forced into a change, Nkumane has no reservations about Chiliboy Ralepelle stepping into the breach.
“Chiliboy has experience‚” he said about the hooker who has played in 22 Tests.