John Smit makes huge all-time Malcolm Marx claim ahead of All Blacks finale

Former South Africa captain John Smit has declared Malcolm Marx not only the best player in the world, but the greatest hooker to have ever played for the Springboks.

Marx was again influential in South Africa’s latest win over the All Blacks, producing a near-complete display in the 29-24 victory in Johannesburg. His lineout throwing was faultless, he won a crucial breakdown penalty and scored off a driving maul late on as the world champions opened up a 2-1 lead in the four-match series against New Zealand.

The 32-year-old has become one of the defining figures of this Springbok era, and Smit, himself a World Cup-winning hooker, believes Marx now stands above every South African to have previously worn the jersey.

Discussing the 92-cap hooker’s qualities on his I Love Rugby podcast, Smit also highlighted the breadth of Marx’s game, from his carrying and scrummaging to his work over the ball, before pointing to the influence he has on those around him.

For Smit, that combination of ability and character is what sets Marx apart, leaving him convinced there are “no real chinks in the armour”.

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12 Sep 26

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“I think there’s so much that I can say because Malcolm obviously played in that number two shirt, and there’s a couple of things about Malcolm that make him the best in the world,” Smit said. “Certainly the best that’s worn the number two shirt in South Africa, and I say that quite respectfully and quite gladly. I’ve just loved watching him play. I’ve loved what he can do for South Africa.

“But there’s a deeper reason. He’s a beast. I mean, he’s a monstrous man. He’s a big guy. He’s athletic. He’s fast. He carries well. He steals. He scrums. He’s got an unbelievable throw. There’s no real chinks in the armour.

“And I think what people don’t understand is, over and above that, we’ve all played with some amazing rugby players, and he’s a better human being than he is a rugby player. He’s just such a good guy. He’s good for the team. He’s the kind of guy that gets in there and serves. He’s serving the guys all the time. He’s providing a level of confidence.

“And then probably his first Test was the quietest we’ve seen him because he hadn’t played a bit for a while. I think he took that to heart and he just got better and better and better. His influence, it’s not just the things he does.

“And I think the last thing I’ll say about Malcolm, which I think we’d all love people to say about us as ex-rugby players, is that he must be the bane of existence for every opposition team that play against him. But I don’t think there’s one person in world rugby that doesn’t like him as a human afterwards, that can’t wait to have a beer with him. And I think that says a lot about the guy.”