Mighty Malcolm Marx puts Boks back on top of the world

The World Player of the Year Malcolm Marx led the Boks bounce back in Cape Town and took the world champion Springboks back to No 1 in the world.

The Boks won 33-26 to level the four-Test series. They led 24-14 at halftime.

It was a case of ‘Boks by 10′ baby, at least at the break.

The winning differential was seven but the Boks leadership would have taken a one pointer.

A win was good enough to reclaim the No 1 ranking the Boks lost to the All Blacks a week ago.

Not that it was ever as close. The Boks scored in the second minute and led for the remaining 78 minutes.

They were always in control of the Test match.

In 2024 the Boks beat the All Blacks 18-12 at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town. It was not the prettiest of matches.

Two years later, it was a match of a different class, tempo and occasion.

Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus complimented the quality of the 2026 All Blacks, telling the media afterwards that these All Blacks were two classes above that which came to South Africa in 2024.

They have mongrel, attitude, the inspirational Ardie Savea and they have brilliant backs in inside centre Jordie Barrett, scrumhalf Cam Roigard and Will Jordan. All three were influential in every All Blacks attacking threat.

The Boks, back-to-back World Cup winners, have not lost back-to-back Tests since 2022.

This match was the most important Test since the World Cup final in Paris in 2023. The response had to come against a team that started the Test as the world’s No 1 ranked.

Kolisi described the contest as one hell of match. He spoke of the tempo and New Zealand’s refusal to ever be out of the game.

The Boks were scrambling in the final minute to half another explosive All Blacks attack.

Pressure does things to the very best players and teams, and pressure forced errors and indifference on occasion in decision-making but despite this the rugby world was treated to a quality Test match.

Marx, introduced in the 36th minute, was so good. Marx forced two penalty turnovers at the breakdown that was converted by Cheslin Kolbe, who never missed with four penalty and three conversion attempts.

Marx made tackles that would prove decisive and he was ever present.

Kolbe was the official player of the match, but Marx’s impact was undeniable and befitting the 2025 world’s best player.

Equally, the presence of Siya Kolisi as a player and captain.