Durban - Malcolm Marx is the best hooker in world rugby, according to his old foe, England’s Jamie George, while the Boks’ two-match series against the All Blacks in July set the intensity for next year’s World Cup in France.
George, the starting hooker against the Boks in the 2019 World Cup final, predicts the 2023 World Cup will be the most hotly contested ever because the northern hemisphere has closed the gap on their southern rivals.
Speaking exclusively to Independent Media, George said: “Off the back of the June tours by England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland to the south, everyone is taking the north seriously. All those games were very close, and that means a very interesting 12 months leading up to the World Cup.”
Then came the Rugby Championship and, while the European teams were resting and watching, some epic battles were fought.
“Those games between the Boks and All Blacks gave us an insight into what the intensity is going to be like at the World Cup — the intensity was incredibly high, the collisions were huge, and the time between collisions was shorter. That is what people want to see,” the 32-year-old said.
“Form-wise, New Zealand have turned a corner — their great players are coming into form — while for South Africa, their big players stepped up,” the 69-cap veteran added.
“The physicality of the Boks puts them up there as the most difficult team to beat — as England, we always feel that when we play them — and we are a team that prides itself on physicality.”
George said he noted the form of Marx with interest.
“South Africa is blessed with incredibly talented hookers. Malcolm is a brilliant player, and I respect him as probably the best hooker in the world, but I understand why he doesn’t always start or play the whole match.
“If you look at the intensity of Test rugby and what you will get at the World Cup, you know that the hooker position demands 80 minutes of total intensity, and it is rare that a player can provide that for 80 minutes.
“So I understand why the Boks have their Bomb Squad. The requirements of the game for tight five forwards are so much tougher. The scrum is getting increasingly intense, mauls are a huge part of, not just the Boks, but the game in general, and that takes a lot of energy. Then look at how Malcolm charges about … getting turnovers and playing like a loose forward.
“That takes a toll. He is incredibly fit, but nobody can sustain that. And when you have Bongi (Mbonambi) and Malcolm giving you a good 80 as a combination, you have something very special.”
Now it is the turn of the north to host the south, with the Boks, the Wallabies, the Pumas and the All Blacks all playing four games against Six Nations opposition in November, and George says it will be a war.
“Nothing will be held back because of the approaching World Cup. Take England v South Africa at Twickenham, for example (November 26). It is a huge international game in front of 80 000 fans, and these are very important games for a number of reasons. Fundamentally you want the result, as you always do in Test rugby, and it is vital for us because we want to generate momentum going into the Six Nations and into a World Cup year.
“The Boks at Twickenham is going to be absolutely massive. These teams have a ‘history’, and I am expecting another tasty encounter,” George enthused. “There is always a huge amount of respect between us. We value the game in the same way – strong set piece, defensively very strong, big collisions.
“It is going to be very physically demanding. Emotionally, it will be right up there because of the history, and it is going to be a tight game with close calls here and there that will decide the outcome.”
Interestingly, George says he would not be the player he is if were not for South Africa.
“I have been lucky enough to play with a lot of Springbok greats (at his club, Saracens) – Schalk Brits, Schalk Burger ... the way they approach the game is amazing. They are the nicest humans off the field, but cross the white line and it all changes!
“But, more than anyone, I owe my career to John Smit, who was finishing his career at Saracens as I was coming through.
“I met him for a coffee the day before the World Cup final in 2019 and he is still a close friend. What an incredible man! I have always looked up to him, and I took a lot from his game.
“The time and effort John gave me were second to none.”
Sage is the Official Insights Partner of Six Nations Rugby and will be powering the Smart Ball this Autumn Nations Series. #Sageinsights