John Smit and Victor Matfield name the best rugby player in the world right now
Rugby NewsMonday, 14 September 2026 at 13:55
Springbok legends John Smit and Victor Matfield have both heaped praise on Malcolm Marx, with the hooker’s sensational form putting him firmly in the conversation as the best player in world rugby.
Marx was immense throughout Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry as South Africa battled New Zealand across their historic four-Test series.
Former Springboks captain Smit went furthest, declaring Marx the best player on the planet.
“There’s a couple of things about Malcolm that make him the best in the world,” Smit said.
The 2007 World Cup-winning skipper also argued that Marx has established himself as the greatest Springbok hooker of all time, highlighting his athleticism, carrying, breakdown work, scrummaging and accuracy at the lineout.
Matfield was similarly emphatic.
“I think he’s special every week,” the legendary lock said on the
Rugby Rivals podcast.
Matfield highlighted Marx’s influence across virtually every area of the game, from putting his body on the line and leading the Springbok scrum to his work at the breakdown and with ball in hand.
“Malcolm is just an outstanding player,” he added. “He’s just unbelievable.”
Following the conclusion of the four-Test series, Matfield and All Blacks legend Sir John Kirwan also both selected Marx as their player of the series.
With Smit calling him the world’s best and Matfield describing him
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Every Springbok graded from Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry – five score D+ or lower
Wilco Louw: A+
Louw was arguably the tour’s most consistently dominant forward.
At Ellis Park, his scrum work immediately caused problems, and that theme continued throughout the series, with penalties won against the All Blacks in all four Tests.
Even when the scrum wasn’t completely under his control in the fourth Test, the tighthead’s defensive work-rate remained exceptional. A huge tour.
Ox Nche: A+
Nche made the scrum his personal playground throughout the series.
Time and again, the All Blacks’ front row was dismantled, handing South Africa territory and points.
There was plenty to admire in the loose too, with powerful carries complemented by surprisingly classy handling. Across all four Tests, few Boks matched Nche’s reliability or physical influence.
Malcolm Marx: A+
The World Rugby Player of the Year looked every bit the part.
A menace at the breakdown, outstanding at lineout time and a constant threat from the driving maul, Marx covered almost every base.
Crucial tries, relentless carrying and huge physical moments followed throughout the tour. Consistency was the defining feature of an outstanding four-Test campaign.
Damian de Allende: A
De Allende grew into the tour beautifully.
His 100th appearance in the first Test provided a solid starting point before the midfield powerhouse became increasingly influential.
Brutal carrying was matched by some surprisingly sharp footwork, while the fourth-Test try summed up his strengths perfectly. Powerful, direct and difficult to stop, De Allende also remained a defensive wall.
Morne van den Berg: A
A relatively peripheral figure at the beginning, van den Berg finished the tour with his stock significantly higher.
The second-Test cameo was assured before an opportunity to start in the fourth Test was seized with both hands.
A smart try, a turnover, crisp passing and an effective short-side threat all strengthened the scrum-half’s case for more starts.
Cameron Hanekom: A
Hanekom made the most of limited opportunities.
A crucial late turnover arrived during the second Test, followed by an energetic and physical cameo in the third.
The biggest impact came in the fourth, with the replacement changing the momentum, forcing the turnover that led to Arendse’s try before crossing the whitewash himself.
Pieter-Steph du Toit: A
There was very little Du Toit did not contribute during the tour.
Relentless tackling, hard carrying and constant disruption around the breakdown made the forward a key part of South Africa’s defensive machine.
His influence often grew as matches wore on, with a try in the fourth Test providing a fitting highlight. Even when the numbers dipped slightly, the physical presence remained invaluable.
Jasper Wiese: A
Wiese provided South Africa with exactly what they needed in the middle of the field: relentless momentum.
Powerful carries regularly dragged defenders backwards, while his work at the breakdown proved surprisingly effective.
The defensive numbers were equally impressive, particularly in the fourth Test where 17 tackles were recorded. Aside from the occasional handling error, Wiese proved a hugely dependable presence.
Thomas du Toit: A-
Du Toit’s value was particularly obvious when South Africa rotated their front row.
Scrummaging remained consistently solid, while his carrying added another layer of dynamism to the pack.
The second Test produced his finest showing of the series, with 13 tackles, four carries and a lineout win before eventually being withdrawn. A highly effective tour from the prop.
Eben Etzebeth: A-
Etzebeth had his quieter moments, but the best contributions were significant.
Lineout disruption, breakdown pressure and important defensive interventions were all on show during the series.
The second Test arguably produced the lock’s most influential performance, while the fourth saw a series of huge plays inside the opening quarter. Not quite at his absolute best, but still a major force.
Cheslin Kolbe: A-
Kolbe brought individual brilliance whenever South Africa needed it.
Defenders were beaten, aerial contests were dominated and the kicking tee proved remarkably reliable for much of the series.
The second Test was particularly influential, while the return from injury in the first offered an immediate reminder of what the Boks had missed. A constant source of danger and energy, although he didn’t play as much as he would have liked.
Kurt-Lee Arendse: A-
Arendse’s tour was disrupted by injury, but he finished it spectacularly.
A concussion in the first Test meant his involvement was severely limited, while the third saw the winger score a relatively straightforward try and threaten consistently.
The fourth was a completely different story, producing 169 metres, eight defenders beaten and a sensational late try. His best was saved for last.
Siya Kolisi: B+
Captain Kolisi steadily rediscovered his influence after returning from injury.
The second Test brought perhaps his finest contribution, combining a try with relentless breakdown work and a powerful carry that helped create the opening score.
Leadership remained evident in the fourth through his defensive efforts, although his minutes were managed carefully as the tour progressed.
Paul de Villiers: B
De Villiers only featured prominently in the first Test, but made a strong impression.
Energy around the breakdown was infectious, while tackles and carries came in abundance during his hour on the field.
Twelve tackles led South Africa on the night, and the performance offered plenty of encouragement that De Villiers could have a significant future at Test level.
Manie Libbok: B
Libbok quietly became an important part of South Africa’s backline solution.
Introduced in the second Test, the fly-half brought clarity and simplicity to the attack, allowing the forwards to dominate before exploiting the space himself.
Playmaking duties were shared effectively in the third, with flashes of attacking quality on display. Mistakes arrived in the fourth, but overall his tour was useful.
Deon Fourie: B
Fourie provided valuable versatility throughout the series, switching between hooker and back row when South Africa needed him.
A particularly impressive start came in the second Test, producing frequent carries and reliable lineout work despite the circumstances.
The fourth was less convincing, but the willingness to fill whatever role Erasmus required made Fourie a valuable squad member.
Jesse Kriel: B-
Kriel experienced a mixed tour, with his influence fluctuating dramatically between matches.
After a quiet outing in the first Test, the centre needed less than two minutes in the second to make his mark with a try.
Defensive numbers were less convincing, while the third produced another highlight through a solo score. The fourth was subdued again, leaving a solid but underwhelming overall campaign.
Ruan Nortje: B-
Nortje did much of the work that rarely makes the highlights.
Thirteen tackles and three lineout wins in the second Test underlined the lock’s defensive reliability, with plenty of industry around the ruck too.
Carrying remained a relatively modest part of the contribution, while the fourth brought another quiet outing as South Africa rotated heavily.
Andre Esterhuizen: B-
Esterhuizen made an impact almost every time he entered the contest, beginning with a superb replacement appearance in the first Test.
Power and direct running created South Africa’s first try, while useful carrying and defensive work continued to come from the bench.
Later appearances were quieter, but the physicality remained a valuable weapon whenever Esterhuizen was introduced.
Gerhard Steenekamp: C+
Steenekamp was often overshadowed by the extraordinary performances around him, but still played a useful role across the series.
Scrum dominance was maintained whenever he was involved, with penalties won and plenty of energy around the field.
Solid rather than spectacular, the prop did enough to support an outstanding South African front-row unit.
Damian Willemse: C
Willemse was reliable under the high ball throughout the tour, particularly when dealing with New Zealand’s kicking game.
Attacking influence, however, never quite reached the expected level, while his own kicking occasionally let him down.
Injuries also disrupted his involvement, limiting the opportunity to build genuine momentum across the four-Test series.
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu: C-
It was a learning tour for Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
Flashes of genuine quality appeared through his running, passing and tactical kicking, particularly when given more freedom alongside Libbok.
Too many mistakes remained an issue, however, while defensive work and goal-kicking created concerns. The yellow card in the third Test ultimately summed up a promising but inconsistent series.
Lood de Jager: C-
De Jager’s tour never really caught fire.
A useful penalty won in the second Test was quickly overshadowed by a costly yellow card during the same cameo.
Later appearances in the third and fourth Tests were largely quiet, with experience and physicality offered from the bench but few defining contributions. Strong competition around him made it difficult to establish himself.
Cobus Reinach: D+
Reinach endured a frustrating series.
The first Test was particularly costly, with an intentional knock-on reducing South Africa to 13 men at a crucial stage.
Improvement followed in the second, where his box-kicking proved effective and he contributed to the build-up of three tries. A key turnover came in the third, but inconsistency ultimately defined the tour.
Grant Williams: D
Williams never quite established himself during the series.
The first Test represented his clearest opportunity, but defensive lapses contributed to New Zealand’s first try before another mistake saw him charged down.
A subsequent move to the wing failed to spark a turnaround, with little influence in the remainder of his involvement. A disappointing tour given the opportunities available.
Jan-Hendrik Wessels: D
Wessels was unable to provide the scrum impact South Africa needed when introduced in the first Test.
Replacing the increasingly dominant Steenekamp, the prop struggled to generate the same pressure and offered little impetus.
With the Boks’ front-row standards so high throughout the series, the inability to maintain that dominance stood out.
Zachary Porthen: D
Porthen was another player who found it difficult to match South Africa’s remarkable scrum standards.
His introduction in the first Test came at a point when the Boks desperately needed front-row dominance, but Louw’s influence could not be replicated.
Limited opportunities followed, leaving Porthen with a quiet and ultimately underwhelming tour.
Marco van Staden: D-
Van Staden’s tour was defined by one particularly costly cameo.
Introduced in the first Test as South Africa attempted to regain control, the flanker was yellow-carded for a breakdown infringement close to his own line and spent much of his brief appearance off the field.
An opportunity to make an impact ultimately went badly wrong.
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Rugby Quiz: Can you name the past 25 Springboks captains?
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- Jordie Barrett over Damian de Allende is far from being correct. The hype around Dupont is also overreaching, he's probably 4th in the world and has been since the 2023 WC. He also avoids certain matchups which is strange. The rest of the list is pretty good apart from minor subjective biases.JasonMarlow16-09-2026
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