Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx has delivered the most complete season of his Test career, writes MARK KEOHANE.
Writing for the Sunday Times, Keohane says Marx – who was named 2025 World Rugby Player of the Year on Saturday night – has become “the outstanding player for the Springboks this season,” averaging close to 70 minutes a Test across the Boks’ seven biggest matches, an extraordinary workload for a modern hooker.
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With Bongi Mbonambi battling for form and selection, Marx has embraced the responsibility and thrived.
For years, Marx and Mbonambi formed what Keohane calls “the most powerful hooker duo in the sport”, with coaches Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber previously preferring to unleash Marx’s explosiveness from the bench.
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But 2025 has marked a complete shift. Marx has started 11 Tests this season and played 77 minutes in Paris against France – “among his greatest efforts in an almighty Test career”.
Keohane highlights Marx’s remarkable durability: 34 matches since last November, including 19 for his Japanese club, the Kubota Spears, and the bulk of the Springboks’ campaign. His impact has been immense, especially in the Castle Rugby Championship turnaround and the 43-10 demolition of the All Blacks in Wellington.
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Marx’s value goes beyond the numbers. Keohane writes that his “scrumming is strong, his lineout throwing is accurate, he plays like an extra loose forward over the ball” and he remains a prolific try-scorer at the maul.
New Zealand’s rugby media have twice rated him 10/10 – cementing his place among the best hookers of the past decade.
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
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