I have seen Malherbe have slow starts to seasons because he is so unfit. Maybe his form will improve, but on current form Malherbe could potentially fall out of the Boks squad altogether.
The other props are far more noticeable on the field, and the Boks scrum so far this season has only performed well when he was not playing.
Could someone phone his father to see what is happening?
In 2018 Malherbe was actually quite good. He can still have strong moments on defence, but he just isn't that great since then. To be honest, all of our front rowers have regressed. Fitness isn't what it was in 2018. The likes of Faf and Malherbe look dumpy, slow, ponderous, and sloppy compared to their 2018 selves. This tells us that standards are not high. I think Malherbe has another level, and we just aren't seeing it. Better coaching would push these players for more. Pollard, Faf, Malherbe, Kitshoff, Marx, Bongi, Am, Mapimpi, Willie, Kolbe, and even Eben last season, are all playing below their ability. Koch was strong on the field against New Zealand, but I don't think he is the solution who ticks all of the boxes. We are quite fortunate to be reffed so leniently, as our woeful scrum record since 2021 would be even worse! I think it's too late to rectify this to the level we need for an assured solid campaign at the WC.
Right now Malherbe is the first choice tight head.
Koch is a little lacking at scrum time but very good otherwise.
Malherbe is not a strong scrummager. He never was. Malherbe is one of the reasons why our scrum has been so poor since 2021.
Hmm, I agree that our scrums have not been that dominant and we allowed Ireland as well New Zealand boss us around.
I believe Deon David’s are running our scrumming sessions and it is noticeable given that Proudfoot is no longer there
Yep, positive Saddex only sees the Boks inverting every opposition front row into their own rectums. Maybe it's all that alcohol. I think that's the missing ingredient for the rest of us, for we'd see the same imagined nonsense too!
For the last 5 years, the Boks have had the best scrum in the world. Most times teams want to avoid scrums and lineouts against the Boks.
This year has not been so good so far, except Nykana and Thomas DuToit were good last week with some very dominant scrums.
That is why I am starting to think perhaps it Malherbe not playing well.
The Bok scrum has been at best neutral the past five years. Kitshoff and Malherbe don't dominate anyone. Our maul was dominant, but not so much the past two seasons. The lineout ranks bottom of the RC, and we can't pressure the opposition lineout. We are mostly neutral to a little below that. The only times the Boks have been strong in the scrum the past 23 years was 1999, and 2013. It's something oldies seem to take pride in, but is seldom a big weapon for us. The best we can get is neutrality, and good work outside the scrum. Our front rowers are generally much better around the field than in the scrum. The problem is the drop off in production there. I blame fitness standards.
The Bok Scrum was so good that the English stole Proudfoot as forwards coach after the World Cup.
The scrum under Rassie is one of the most dominant scrums I have ever seen by the Boks.
The Boks haven't had a dominant scrum under Erasputin. It ranks very much lower than the 2013 and 2009 sides.
