Here is the Marx plan for England
TWENTY Test matches into his Springbok career, Malcolm Marx is recognised by most of the rugby world to be the best hooker on the planet ... despite never having played against England, many a pompous Pom would argue.
Sir Clive Woodward, an England World Cup winning coach, is not one of them, having recently sung Marx’s praises. Then there was the English journalist who asked Marx at the Boks’ Kensington hotel if he was looking forward to gauging himself against Dylan Harltey and Jamie George, England’s finest No 2s, with Eddie Jones unsure which of them should start. Marx was sufficiently polite to sing his opposition’s praises.
“I have not played against either of them. My only experience of playing against England was when their Under-18 team toured South Africa. Obviously I have had a good look at my potential opposition, but my main job is to keep improving as a player so I can make (a) maximum contribution to my team. But I have great respect for them,” Marx said.
“If I have had any personal success it is because of the success of the team … They have put me into positions to do well. So the team gets the credit.”
Spoken like a scholar and a gentleman … And a diplomat.
Marx missed England’s tour to SA in June because of an injury picked up in Super Rugby before returning to the Bok starting lineup for the victory over the All Blacks in Wellington, scoring his fourth Test try and second against New Zealand in that triumph.
“The All Blacks are in the past. Now have to keep working on towards the next goal, and that is England on Saturday,” he said. “We have had a good look at what we got right against England in the first two Tests in June and what we got wrong against them in the third Test, and we believe we have rectified it.
“It is true that you mainly focus mostly on your own game, but we are also taking a close look at what England are going to bring. We have watched all their games against the Boks since 2016 and analysed them. They like to disrupt your breakdown and your set piece and not allow you to get out of your half.”
It was pointed out to Marx that the Boks have won just two of their last seven matches on end-of-year tours.
“We have definitely given our away record a lot of thought,” Marx conceded. “The last two end-of-year tours have not been good for us. But we are in a good mental space for this one …”