Malcolm Marx to go for an MRI scan to determine the severity of his injury

In his delivery of another performance of grunt and gravitas Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx injured his shoulder against France.

He will go for an MRI scan on Monday to determine the severity of the injury but if would be quite a loss should he be ruled out of Saturday’s clash against Italy.

He has started in every test this season and has made the position his own. The French even likened him to Bismarck du Plessis.

Marx and Bok captain Eben Etzebeth both went for x-rays on Sunday and while both according to the team doctor were ‘normal’ Marx’s injury warrants closer inspection through a MRI scan on Monday.

Although Dr Konrad von Hagen didn’t give Etzebeth the all clear to play this weekend‚ the skipper now looks likely to resume duties in the second row after failing to complete the match in Paris with a lower leg injury.

Should he be declared fit Etzebeth’s availability will come as a huge boost for the Boks who will want to build on their narrow win over the Tricolores in Paris.

Team management confirmed flank Siya Kolisi’s departure from the team this week to be with his wife who is having their second child. He will‚ however‚ return for the Boks last tour match against Wales in Cardiff next week.

Francois Louw and Duane Vermeulen will be unavailable for the clash against Wales as it falls outside the November Test window.

While coach Allister Coetzee expressed his relief at winning only his second away Test since taking charge last year‚ his French counterpart Guy Noves had to fend off uncomfortable questions following France’s fifth straight loss.

It is their worst sequence for 35 years.

He reminded his inquisitors of the tight margin by which the game was lost.

“Okay we lost but we didn’t take a hammering. We lost by a point‚” said Noves.

When asked about his future in the job‚ Noves bristled.

“Ask that question to those who say those things to you‚" he said.

"Either you don’t understand or you pretend not to understand. With all due respect‚ leave me alone with that kind of question.”

The journalist wouldn’t go away however.

“Okay I will rephrase my question. Are you worried about your own future?” he asked

“I don’t know‚” Noves shrugged.

“I’m not worrying about my future. I’m not even wondering about my future. I have a family.

"I have three children. Thanks very much for worrying about my future.

"If my future is determined by rugby losses then I have no control over it.

"Again‚ ask that question to those people who have control over my future‚” Noves said.

International sport is one of tight margins.

If the one point swing had gone the other way Coetzee may well have been the man having to field the tough questions.