Malcolm Marx accepts ‘formal responsibility’ for area of the game where Springboks rank worst in the Rugby Championship
Malcolm Marx in Rugby Championship action for the Springboks
Malcolm Marx has fessed up and admitted that the Springboks need to become more accurate at the lineout in the Rugby Championship.
The South African No.2 was a try-scorer in last Saturday’s 17-24 loss to the All Blacks in Auckland.
Among the multiple statistics from the match was how the Springboks lost four of their 18 lineouts – and their accuracy for the tournament after three rounds of fixtures is only 79 per cent as they have only won 34 of their 43 throws after an 11/16 return in the opener against the Wallabies in Johannesburg and 9/9 the following week in Cape Town.
It’s an overall percentage that ranks the Boks fourth best in the Rugby Championship. Argentina currently has the most dependable set-piece, checking in at 88.2 per cent, having won 30 of their 34 throws.
“I need to make a personal step-up…”
Next best are New Zealand with an 86.4 per cent success rate (38/44), while Australia is on 84 per cent (37/44).
While the Boks watched four lineouts go awry in Auckland, the All Blacks were 15/15 despite the inclement weather, and Marx, who is set to start again at hooker for the Springboks next Saturday in Wellington, has vowed to do better.
Appearing at Monday’s latest team unveiling, Marx was asked to shed light on why it felt that the Springboks’ lineout wasn’t purring as well as it had been in the past. “I was going to take some formal responsibility for it,” he replied.
“I have got to get the ball in right, make sure I’m hitting it in the right areas where it has been called. It’s also down to good contesting at the same time.
“The All Blacks prepped really, really well, especially on our four-man, and so you got to credit them. But I need to make a personal step-up in making sure that I’m a bit more accurate.”
82nd Springbok cap
This Saturday will be Marx’s 82nd Test match appearance for the Springboks. Six of the pack that started at Eden Park have been retained, with only Eben Etzebeth and Marco van Staden missing out to accommodate the promotion of sub Lood de Jager and the return from suspension of Jasper Wiese.
There are five changes in the backline, with only Cheslin Kolbe and Canan Moodie keeping their places.
