Rugby Championship: Springboks weapon Malcolm Marx likened to Wallabies great David Pocock
The biggest threat to the Wallabies this weekend will be sitting on the South African bench waiting to be unleashed.
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He is the world’s best benchwarmer, so dangerous at the breakdown that the Wallabies have likened him to David Pocock.
Malcolm Marx, South Africa’s reserve hooker, will enter the fray in the latter half of the Test against Australia on Saturday, but many of his countrymen are befuddled that he is on the bench again.
Springboks great Bryan Habana, and ex-coaches Jake White and Nick Mallett are among a host of rugby experts who are shocked that Marx continues to be used off the bench – which South African coach Jacques Nienaber labels his “bomb squad”.
In his 50th Test a fortnight ago, Marx was given a start, and duly dominated the All Blacks in a man-of-the-match display that helped his side to a big win.
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The following week, he was on the bench, and the Kiwis pulled off an upset in Johannesburg.
Marx has genuine claim to being the world’s best hooker, but this weekend three-Test rookie Joseph Dweba has again been given the starting hooking duties, but the Wallabies are wary of the threat Marx will bring off the pine and the strategy around his selection.
“These days the game’s about 23 players, it’s not about the 15, if someone gets injured you’ll use one of your reserves,” Wallabies forwards coach Dan McKellar said.
“Test matches are won and lost, most times, in the last 20, 25 minutes. He’ll play big minutes, when there’s a bit of fatigue that sets in, his skill-set becomes even more dangerous, when he’s fresh.
“His form in and around the tackle contest at the moment is equivalent to, I reckon, David Pocock. He’s red-hot with his poach work.
“He’d probably like to be playing 80 minutes but I’m sure he understands his role within the group.
“And they go about making sure they’ve got a really strong finishing pack and, as you can from selection, they’ve certainly got that.
“Whether it’s the first 50 minutes, or the last 40 or 30 minutes, he’s certainly someone who is going to challenge us in and around the breakdown.”
South Africa’s bench has a staggering 353 Test caps between them, with 2019 World Cup winners Frans Steyn, Steven Kitshoff, Vincent Koch, Franco Mostert alongside Marx.
In comparison, the entire starting XV for the Wallabies in their previous match against Argentina had a combined Test 464 caps.
‘Filthy’ Wallabies slam proposed scrum rule changes
Wallabies star Andrew Kellaway has slammed the idea of a proposed 60-second scrum clock for next year’s Super Rugby season, while teammate Allan Alaalatoa believes it could increase injuries in the front row.
Australian and New Zealand rugby officials met recently to discuss the way forward for Super Rugby Pacific, a tournament that broadcasters are trying to enliven with rule changes to speed up the game.
One of the ideas backed by Rugby Australia is a 60-second limit on scrum resets, an area of the game long bemoaned by fans.
However, outside back Kellaway said the nature of rugby scrums makes that proposal a huge risk for those packing down.
“We’ve got to be careful, it’s a niche area of the game, we’ve got guys doing a specialist skill, us outside backs, everyone, we’re asking these blokes to compress their spine for a living and someone in a suit has the nerve to ask them to hurry up,” Kellaway said.
“If I was them, which I’m not fortunately, I’d be pretty filthy about that.
“I think there are so many other areas we can fix up in the game, the breakdown to name one, before we speak about the scrum.”
Wallabies prop Alaalatoa, whose job it is to put his head in those scrums, expressed concerns for player safety.
“As players we understand we need to put forward something more attractive to the crowd,” Alaalatoa said. “We don’t want to set up a quick scrum and then engage because then we put ourselves at risk of injury, with neck or back just to name a couple for the front row.
“If we’re going to change the game then we need to implement that first at training or at least take one year to practice, because I feel if we don’t get it right, someone will get injured.”
Kellaway and Alaalatoa spoke after an intense Wallabies training session on Tuesday, as they prepare to face the Springboks at Adelaide Oval this Saturday afternoon.
After a record 48-17 loss to Argentina in their previous outing, the Wallabies are in a perilous position, facing back-to-back Tests against the world champions, followed by the Bledisloe Cup double-header against the All Blacks.
But Alaalatoa said his teammates are ready to bounce back.
“We had a sour taste in our mouth from that last game, everyone turned up this morning, it was one of our big training sessions and it had a bit of an edge,” Alaalatoa said.
Defence coach Matt Taylor stepped down from the job following the loss in Argentina, and Brumbies director of rugby Laurie Fisher has joined the Wallabies coaching staff.
The Springboks have named a formidable side for the clash, with 17 of the 23-man squad that won the 2019 World Cup final playing in Adelaide as the visitors seek their first win on Australian soil since 2013.
Scary Boks team unleashed for Wallabies clash
Desperate to end their losing streak in Australia, the Springboks have named an extraordinarily strong team for this Saturday’s clash in Adelaide that features 17 World Cup winners.
South Africa have recalled star halfback Faf de Klerk, who sat out their last match against the All Blacks due to concussion, and have experienced playmakers Fran Steyn and Elton Jantjies are on a powerful bench that also includes hooker Malcolm Marx.
In all, 17 players from the 23 that defeated England to win the 2019 World Cup final have been included in the squad for Saturday afternoon, signalling the intention to score their first win on Australian soil since 2013.
De Klerk reunites with halves partner Handre Pollard, the centre combination of Damian de Allende and Lukhanyo Am remain, and the back five scrum combination of locks and backrowers are the same who lifted the trophy Yokohama.
Those established combinations will present a stern test for a Wallabies squad reeling from their biggest ever loss to Argentina a fortnight ago, and questions around who their best playmakers, centres and forward pack combinations are.
Springboks coach Jacques Nienaber has opted to revert to a four-three bench from the six-two split he used in their previous outing, a loss to the All Blacks, while bringing in speedy winger Warrick Gelant in place of Jesse Kriel, while Willie le Roux, Jasper Wiese and Herschel Jantjies miss the cut.
“We looked at what Australia will bring to the game, and that combined with our need to give Elton and Frans Steyn some vital game time, prompted us to select five forwards and three backs on the bench,” Nienaber said.
“With Franco (Mostert) and Kwagga (Smith) on the bench, we will have cover at lock and loose forward, while Frans Steyn’s versatility will also be handy as he can cover centre and fullback. These changes obviously mean that Willie, Jasper and Herschel lose out, but we know what we have in them and what they bring to the team.
“Australia are always a tough force at home and the fact that we haven’t beaten them here since 2013 is evidence of that.
“Much like us, they will also want to bounce back after going down against Argentina, so we expect them to come out firing. The fact that this will be the first Test between the teams in Adelaide will serve as extra motivation for both teams this weekend, so we are preparing for another epic encounter against them.”
Nienaber added: “We had a thorough review of our last match against New Zealand, and we have identified the areas of our game in which we need improve. We know we need to make a big step-up in the quality of our performance to start the tour on a positive note, and that is a big objective for us this weekend.
“This is a very important clash for us to set the tone for our Rugby Championship tour and we feel that continuity in selection is important to build momentum in our campaign.
“Warrick was in good form for the Stormers earlier this season and he has been working hard at training, so we thought it would be good to give him a run on the wing. He also combined well with Damian Willemse in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship, so we are excited to see what they offer us in the match.
“Faf, meanwhile, is back from concussion and his experience will be important in this game.
“We also feel it is important to give the likes of Ox (Nche), Joseph (Dweba) and Duane (Vermeulen) another opportunity to further build combinations and give them valuable game time as we build toward the Rugby World Cup next year.”
The Wallabies will announce their team on Thursday.
Springbok team to face Australia in Adelaide:
15 – Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 20 caps, 12 pts (1t, 2c, 1p)
14 – Warrick Gelant (Racing 92) - 10 caps, 15 pts (3t)
13 – Lukhanyo Am (Cell C Sharks) – 30 caps, 30 pts (6t)
12 – Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 62 caps, 35 pts (7t)
11 – Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks) – 29 caps, 105 pts (21t)
10 – Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers) – 64 caps, 662 pts (7t, 90c, 144p, 5d)
9 – Faf de Klerk (Yokohama Canon Eagles) – 39 caps, 25 pts (5t)
8 – Duane Vermeulen (Ulster) – 62 caps, 15 pts (3t)
7 – Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) – 62 caps, 25 pts (5t)
6 – Siya Kolisi (captain, Cell C Sharks) – 67 caps, 35 pts (7t)
5 – Lood de Jager (Wild Knights) – 60 caps, 25 pts (5t)
4 – Eben Etzebeth (Cell C Sharks) – 102 caps, 15 pts (3t)
3 – Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers) – 50 caps, 5 pts (1t)
2 – Joseph Dweba (DHL Stormers) – 3 caps, 0pts
1 – Ox Nche (Cell C Sharks) – 11 caps, 0pts
Replacements:
16 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 51 caps, 55 pts (11t)
17 – Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers) – 63 caps, 5 pts (1t)
18 – Vincent Koch (Wasps) 36 caps, 0 pts
19 – Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 55 caps, 5pts (1t)
20 – Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 23 caps, 5 pts (1t)
21 – Jaden Hendrikse (Cell C Sharks) – 6 caps, 5 pts (1t)
22 – Elton Jantjies (NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes) – 45 caps, 329 pts (2t, 65c, 62p, 1d)
23 – Frans Steyn (Toyota Cheetahs) – 74 caps, 150 pts (11t, 7c, 24p, 3d)
Originally published as Rugby Championship: Springboks weapon Malcolm Marx likened to Wallabies great David Pocock
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