Lock Marvin Orie is excited to return to Ellis Park – what he regards as the “home of the Springboks” – for the Rugby Championship finale against Argentina on Saturday.
The teams will cross paths at the iconic stadium in the closing match of the shortened 2023 version of the competition, and if Australia defeats New Zealand in Melbourne the Boks will know exactly what they need to do to clinch the title by the time they take the field.
An astute lineout operator and renowned workhorse in the tight loose, Orie joined the DHL Stormers and Western Province in 2020 after roaming the Highveld with the Vodacom Bulls and then Lions.
The Boks will make light work of Argentina when the two sides meet in the Rugby Championship on Saturday, according to @mark_keohane and Zels. pic.twitter.com/xEbw1fQZ5o
— SA Rugby magazine (@SARugbymag) July 27, 2023
The 30-year-old has made a total of 42 appearances in all competitions for the Stormers, and will join French Top 14 club Perpignan next season on a two-year deal.
Speaking in a Bok conference in the build-up to this weekend’s clash in Johannesburg, Orie told reporters: “When I think of Ellis Park I think of the 1995 Rugby World Cup, and what that did for rugby and the country.
“Personally, I perceive it to be the home of the Springboks. Altitude is also a factor at the stadium, and hopefully we can take advantage of that.”
PLUS: Boks to go to ‘dark places’ with Pumas
Orie is wary of the threat posed by the Argentinean forwards, and locks specifically. He added: “They are tough and feisty guys, and they don’t back off. But we revel in those contests, and we are excited about this weekend.”
The 12-Test second-row bruiser also looks forward to lining up in the engine room alongside Eben Etzebeth, who will become the fourth-most capped Bok of all time on Saturday when he surpasses former captain John Smit’s 111 caps.
“I’m incredibly inspired by a guy like Eben and what he’s done for rugby in South Africa,” said Orie of his former Tygerberg High School mate. “He’s a big leader in the team and he brings calmness in a match. That’s something that comes with experience.”
With Bok coach Jacques Nienaber set to announce his 33-man Rugby World Cup squad on 8 August, Orie admits that competition for places in the squad is intense, but he believes it was beneficial for the team and the players.
“There’s a lot of competition in the squad, but it’s good,” he added. “We push one another at training everyday. But it’s not about me, rugby is a team sport, and we do what’s best for the team.”
Photo: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix