Mallett - Marx is the best hooker in World Rugby

The following from News24:-

"Former Springbok coach Nick Mallett has heaped praise on Lions hooker Malcolm Marx who was impressive in their 40-23 Super Rugby quarter-final win over the Jaguares in Johannesburg over the weekend.

Mallett commented on the game in the SuperSport studio.

“Whenever the Lions were under pressure, Marx turned the ball over. He must have had five or six turnover penalties right in the red zone when they were under intense pressure. I thought Marx was outstanding,” Mallett said.

Marx, who scored a runaway try after an intercept, will be vital for the Springboks in the Rugby Championship and Mallett gave the hooker the ultimate praise.

“I think that we should be so grateful. We have had a great captain in John Smit as a hooker, we had Bismarck du Plessis, who was the best in the world in his time. Suddenly out of nowhere pops Marx, the best in the world in my opinion, at a very young age already.

“The work that this guy does in the tight-loose is quite extraordinary. He wasn’t there during the June internationals, but he is going to be there for the Springboks during the Rugby Championship. He is an absolute menace around the ball, you cannot move him, he is completely legal and when he is on the ball, that ball is lost. Also, he has the vision to read the pass of the Jaguares scrumhalf, intercept and run 40m to score a try. He was extraordinary.”

The Lions will host the Waratahs in the semi-finals at Ellis Park this Saturday (15:05 kick-off), while the Crusaders entertain the Hurricanes in Christchurch earlier in the day (09:35 SA time)."

There are two observations I would like to make here -

*   when I wrote in a thread very high praise of Marx about his game on Saturday Mozart has his normal hysteria and went baloney as per normal with his personal BS; and

*    our NZ members will claim that Coles - who had no game time this year - is better than Marx.   Really a joke insofar as I am concerned.      

I don't think there are many that would debate Marx being the best hooker in World rugby at the moment. He and maybe a fully fit Etzebeth are the only players we have that would make a world rugby 15 at the right now . And please don't overlook the "maybe" regarding Etzebeth. 

Mikie, before this escalates, Moz is just baiting you by saying it wasn't only Marx that won the game for the Lions. I am pretty sure you know damn well it wasn't only Marx, instead meaning that Marx played especially well. Please be the bigger man and leave it there. It has been so much better on the forum without you two regurgitating the same old rivalries.  

Hope Marx remains in SA, the million $ offers are rolling in for sure ...

ouMaaik, ignore mozart, the sea of tranquility is sublime ..... coupla years a go Coles was deservedly ranked number 1. Now sadly I reckon there's a wee bit of doubt whether he will actually play again.

Mallett stating the obvious. Coles is obviously good but Marx is way better come ruck time and with an inform and fit Vermeulen in the mix it will be game on. 

Be afraid Kiwis....

Bring it on Saffa, your going to need more than 2 good players to beat the best rugby playing nation in the world

Marx is the best hooker I have ever seen, so this is an understatement. He is a traditional Bok forward. 

Better than Bismarck, Ollie Schmidt, James Dalton, John Pig- Spit (in his prime), etc etc.

His scrimmaging looks powerful, and he makes more turnovers than any loose forward. 

Apologies for causing you lot a few sleepless nights but them's the breaks....all good things come to an end and although it might not happen soon enough, it will happen. It's just a pity valuable time was wasted with the useless Coetzee and that other poor apology of a coach PDV but now that the reset button has been activated...…...Marx, Etzebeth, Vermeulen, Le Roux and Pollard are the juggernaut of the Phoenix.

Be afraid Kiwis...be very, very afraid 

It's a huge plus now that Marx is coming home and playing for either the Stormers or the Bulls in Super 2019 whatever they call it these days, he'll also be available for the EOYT.

Marx throws the All Black forwards around like kinder garden children. 

They don't want to upset him, chances are he'll snap them in half.

Yep Marx is the best hooker and Eben the best lock. Get these two b ack and we start to have a great pack.

Second best hooker is Akkers the angry warthog!

Wee dan col es is not a tight forward really, more like a wannabee wing competing with bent read of course!

Marx is easily the best, but he has been the best for a while now. He could be the best I have ever seen. So strong but so dynamic, accurate too. I don't know if I'd rank Eben as the best in his position. I'd put him in that B tier grouping. I'd definitely put Pollard as right up there too. It's a shame that Duane has so many health issues because when fit he is the best 8 in the world. 

Cloudy, nobody is saying the Boks have the greatest pool of players. But there are some great players in there. We lack centres and I personally don't like any of our wings or fullbacks. I think we can put a loose trio together and am okay lock combo. 

Faf and Pollard are fine as is Le Roux. Allende and Kriel are better players these days. Wings are raw but we shall see -  can they defend well enough.

I am not sure about Etzebeth - would rather wait and see what comes up after his long injury absence.   

I always rated Vermeulen - but their is a problem as well - is he really as fit as he should be  for a test series?    He was top class in the first two tests against England and  was invisible in the third tests and his remarks after the second test were not all that reassuring,    

Allende and Kriel are not centres. Kriel is a fullback . The other 3 are great players. Willie is a great player but can be a tad error-strewn. 

...a couple of things.... not much in it between Cody Taylor and Marx...Marx had a real shocker last year against the ABs where SA was thrashed ...may have been the occasion that got to him but normally he is very good  - he's the driving force in the Lions team forward pack with Kwagga and they are useless without him..

secondly... i read somewhere Vermuelean is flip flopping on his Japanese contract and is in talks with the Bulls???...surely not

Brycy, there's a difference a player being poor and a player being overwhelmed because his team is just not prepared and his team mates are not test quality. We've seen this in so many sports, a team with one or two great players that get outgunned against more talented top tier teams. Shevchenko for Ukraine, Diego Dominguez for Italy, Bergamasco for Italy. Marx was not a poor player, he is just human, not a miracle worker. The lack of coaching was shocking. Some. Of the players were even worse. Put prime Carter in Romania and see how he fares against New Zealand. Marx is by a long way the best in the world.