With just two days to go until the launch of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, SARugbymag.co.za spotlights the most influential hookers to have played for the Springboks at the tournament.
John Smit
The Springbok captaincy rested easily on Smit’s shoulders, from the first time he led the Boks out against Georgia at the 2003 World Cup until the disappointing exit from the 2011 World Cup against Australia.
The 111-cap Smit powered the Bok scrum in 46 consecutive Tests between 2003 and 2007, and he holds the record for most matches as Bok captain (83). Smit won it all at international level: a World Cup, the Tri-Nations and British & Irish Lions series.
His diplomatic leadership, together with coach Jake White, helped the Boks rediscover not just their self-respect but made them more respected throughout the rugby world than at any time since they won the World Cup in 1995.
Smit’s value as a leader was such that he was favoured ahead of Bismarck du Plessis, eventually shifting to tighthead prop to accommodate the younger rake, and his longevity in one of the toughest roles in South African rugby confirms him as one of the greats of the modern game.
Bismarck du Plessis
For much of his Bok career, the abrasive and athletic Du Plessis’ first-team opportunities were limited by the presence of Smit, yet he still racked up 79 Test caps and won multiple titles.
Du Plessis made the bench for five matches in South Africa’s journey to the Webb Ellis Cup in 2007, and the key moment in his international career came in 2008 when coach Peter de Villiers moved Smit to prop to facilitate the inclusion of the younger man in the front row, reasoning that the latter could no longer be consigned to the role of impact substitute.
With his incredible strength, athleticism, and ferocity, Du Plessis played the game with an unyielding spirit and warrior-like determination that inspired his teammates and struck fear into his opponents.
Known for his physicality at the breakdown and his precision at lineout time, the adamantine Du Plessis was a key figure in the national team for over a decade, and made his final tackle for the Boks in the third-place playoff at the 2015 World Cup – his third trip to the tournament.
Malcolm Marx
One of the original members of the Bomb Squad that helped South Africa win the 2019 World Cup, Marx has all but wrestled the No 2 jumper away from Bongi Mbonambi in 2023 with strong performances in the Rugby Championship and World Cup warm-up clashes against the All Blacks and Wales.
Widely considered the best hooker on the planet, Marx is as good as any specialist fetcher over the ball, and has become too good of an all-round threat for the Springboks to not be there from the first whistle.
He, too, has become the top try-scorer among forwards in Bok history – scoring in a record win against the All Blacks at Twickenham to take his tally to 17 – despite starting only half of his 63 Tests.
It’s an impressive strike rate from the 29-year-old, who averages 52 minutes per Test, and Marx’s potential extended game time could significantly benefit SA – possibly in another World Cup final this year.
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