In a game decided by forward power, South Africa’s Malcolm Marx delivered a hooker’s masterclass in the art of finishing. His two-try performance was a display of brute strength, technical skill, and an unquenchable thirst for the try line, and it was the decisive factor in the Rugby Championship final.
Both of Marx’s tries came from close range, the product of unstoppable driving mauls. However, scoring in these situations is not as simple as it looks. It requires immense strength to stay on your feet, technical skill to control the ball at the back of the maul, and a finisher’s instinct to find the line. Marx displayed all three in abundance.
His performance was a perfect illustration of the modern hooker’s role as a key attacking weapon. No longer just set-piece specialists, hookers are now expected to be powerful ball-carriers and prolific try-scorers, and Marx is the archetype of this new breed.
Beyond his try-scoring, his work in the scrum was immense, and his presence at the breakdown was a constant nuisance for Argentina. It was a complete performance from a player who is arguably the best in his position in the world.
When the game was in the balance, the Springboks looked to their forwards to provide the winning moment, and Malcolm Marx delivered not once, but twice. It was a true masterclass from a player at the peak of his powers.