Malcolm Marx’s absence for the rest of the World Cup, through injury, has changed the dynamic of the famed and feared Springboks Bomb Squad and given life to a tournament in which the Springboks looked like the only winner after the opening round.
Marx’s misfortune is a body blow to the Springboks. It will also have the likes of Ireland, the All Blacks and hosts France breathing a bit easier.
The Springboks, depending on their pool result against Ireland next weekend, will either play France or the All Blacks in the quarterfinal. All the Boks’ preparation is geared towards the Ireland match.
Romania, this Sunday, will be a mild contact session. Romania conceded 83 points to Ireland and it didn’t matter which Bok match 23 was announced for Sunday’s match. It will be as one-sided in the favour of the defending World Cup holders.
Marx, like captain Siya Kolisi, is rested for the Romanian match, as were wingers Kurt-Lee Arendse and Cheslin Kolbe, inside centre Damian de Allende, loose-forward Franco Smith and tighthead prop Frans Malherbe. They are all first-choice starters against Ireland.
Marx’s injured knee, which will require surgery, happened at training, and the Bok coaching staff will feel the biggest victory against Romania is no injuries over the 80 minutes.
Sunday’s starting hooker and captain Bongi Mbonambi’s importance has trebled in the past 24 hours. Mbonambi and Marx have, for the past four years, largely shared the match-day 80 minutes at hooker. Joseph Dweba has on occasion started at hooker or played from the bench.
The Boks line-out maul is a fundamental pillar of their playbook and Mbonambi and Marx are key pieces of that puzzle. With Marx gone, it really does fall on Mbonambi to carry the load for the rest of the tournament.
Dweba was omitted in the original World Cup squad as the Bok coaches felt that utility forward Deon Fourie offered cover for the third hooker place. This week they also spoke of Bulls and Bok flanker Marco van Staden’s ability to play hooker.
Van Staden has not played a first-class match that I can recall as a hooker. Fourie started his career as a hooker, but his impact for the Stormers and during his eight years of club rugby in France has been as a specialist loose-forward who plays to the ball in a fetcher capacity.
Fourie and Van Staden are outstanding at slowing down opposition ball, limiting quick recycled phase ball and forcing turnovers at the breakdown.
They are very good at what they do, but as loose-forwards.
Dweba, a strong scrum exponent and powerful in the carry, has shown vulnerability with his line-out throwing, both for the Stormers and the Boks.
The Boks line-out maul is a fundamental pillar of their playbook and Mbonambi and Marx are key pieces of that puzzle. With Marx gone, it really does fall on Mbonambi to carry the load for the rest of the tournament. It will be a big ask because he is used to playing on average 31 minutes a Test. Now that workload will double to at least 60 minutes in the most demanding of summer temperatures.
Marx’s unavailability can’t be overstated: He is considered the best hooker in the game, but is equally as potent as the best specialist loose-forwards when it comes to winning turnovers at the breakdown. Historically, he has been immense in this all-rounder role and there is no “like-for-like” replacement in South Africa for Marx.
The Bok coaching staff have not yet named a replacement for Marx, but all the talk is that flyhalf Handré Pollard will be drafted into the squad in the next few days.
Pollard, who ordinarily would be a certain starter for the Boks, has batted a calf injury for the past few months, but he consistently trained with the Boks up until the squad departed for France.
Pollard, should he be introduced, can start at No.10, play off the bench as cover for No.10 and No.12, or even start at No.12 and take the goal-kicking duties. In such a scenario the first choice No.12 Damian de Allende would play No.13.
Romania will be a stroll, but the Bok coaching leadership will be more focused on Ireland and how they combat the loss of Marx and the possible absence of the injured Eben Etzebeth, who hurt his shoulder in the Boks World Cup opener against Scotland.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.