"Formal responsibility" - Malcolm Marx takes ownership of Springbok line-out struggles in All Blacks clash

Tuesday, 09 September 2025 at 09:43

byTom Sansom

Malcolm Marx has admitted the Springboks must improve their line-out execution after a costly off-night in Auckland, with the hooker taking personal responsibility for South Africa’s struggles. The Boks lost four of their 18 throws in last Saturday’s 24–17 defeat to New Zealand, leaving their overall Rugby Championship success rate at 79 percent - the lowest of the four nations.

“I also need to take some formal responsibility for it,” Marx said. “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’ve got to credit them. But I need to make a personal step-up in making sure that I’m a bit more accurate.”

Argentina currently boast the tournament’s most reliable set-piece with an 88.2 percent return, while New Zealand (86.4) and Australia (84) also sit ahead of South Africa. Marx, who scored the Boks’ opening try at Eden Park, is set to start again this weekend in Wellington as he prepares for his 82nd Test appearance.

Head coach Rassie Erasmus has kept faith with much of his pack from Auckland, retaining six of the starting eight, with only Eben Etzebeth and Marco van Staden making way for Lood de Jager and Jasper Wiese. There are more sweeping changes behind the scrum, where five new faces come in, leaving only Cheslin Kolbe and Canan Moodie to keep their places in the backline.