 Marx playing a match in 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full name | Malcolm Justin Marx | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | (1994-07-13)13 July 1994 (age 31) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.89 m (6 ft2+1⁄2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 116 kg (18 st 4 lb; 256 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | King Edward VII School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | University of Johannesburg | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Malcolm Justin Marx (born 13 July 1994) is a South African professionalrugby union player who currently plays for theSouth Africa national rugby team andKubota Spears in theJapan Rugby League One. His regular position is hooker, but he did play as a flanker at youth level for theGolden Lions. He is widely regarded as one of the best hookers in World Rugby and was awarded the 2025World Rugby Men's 15s Player of the Year.[1]
Marx represented theGolden Lions at several youth tournaments. He played for them at the 2007 Under-13 Craven Week competition and the 2010 Under-16 Grant Khomo Week competition.
During his schooling, Marx attendedKing Edward VII School in Johannesburg. Marx was included in a South Africa Academy side in 2011[2] and, following the 2012 Under-18Craven Week competition, he was named in the South Africa Schools side[3] and played against France[4] and England[5] in August 2012.
In 2013, Marx played forUJ in the2013 Varsity Cup competition, making eight appearances and scoring four tries.[6]
Marx was also a regular for theGolden Lions U19 side during the2013 Under-19 Provincial Championship competition. He made thirteen appearances in total, scoring four tries – one of them in the final against theBlue Bulls U19.[7] He was also named as the Golden Lions U19 Forward of the Year for his displays.[8]
Marx was included in theSouth Africa Under-20 side for the2014 IRB Junior World Championship.[9]
Marx made his senior debut for theGolden Lions in the2014 Vodacom Cup by starting in their 18–16 opening day victory over theLeopards inPotchefstroom.[10]
Marx was also included in theLionsSuper Rugby squad for the2014 Super Rugby season.[11]
After a stellar 2017 for the Lions, Marx picked up a number of awards for the Lions including Super Rugby Player of the Year, Supporters Player of the Year, Players Player of the Year and Most Valued Player of the Year.[12] Marx continued this form into the2018 Super Rugby season, finishing the competition as the Lions' top try-scorer of the year and he is now the joint top try scorer (27) in Lions history, a record he shares with current team matesCourtnall Skosan andLionel Mapoe.
Marx joined theKubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay, a top Japanese rugby club in theJapan rugby League one, in August 2020.[13][14] He has been a regular starter. he however missed the2023 club season due to a knee injury that also ruled him out of the2023 Rugby World Cup.[15]
In 2016, Marx was included in aSouth Africa 'A' squad that played atwo-match series against a touringEngland Saxons team.[16] He came on as a replacement in their first match inBloemfontein,[17] but ended on the losing side as the visitors ran out 32–24 winners.[18] He then started the second match of the series, a 26–29 defeat to the Saxons inGeorge.[19]
Marx was first selected for the Springboks for the2016 Rugby Championship, making three appearances for his country during 2016. Marx made his debut for the Springboks on 17 September 2016, the same date as team mateFrancois Louw's 50th test. Marx replaced Springbok captainAdriaan Strauss in the 43rd minute, but had a disappointing debut, with South Africa losing to New Zealand 13-41. Marx earned his first start for the Springboks on 5 November 2016, putting a 51-minute performance into a 31-31 draw against the Barbarians Club in an uncapped match, prior to being replaced byBongi Mbonambi.
After a series of outstanding performances for the Lions, Marx became a regular starter for South Africa in 2017. On 10 June 2017, he was named man of the match for his performance in the first of three tests against theFrench.[20] Although his performance against New Zealand in the third round of the2017 Rugby Championship was highly criticised, Marx performed to a world-class level throughout most of the competition and played in every test of the competition, with South Africa finishing in third place. Marx was not subbed off in either test against Australia during the competition, a rare feat for a hooker, the first test of which a 23-23 draw and the second test against Australia being a 27-27 draw. Marx lost out on winning Man of the Match to Australian backKurtley Beale on both occasions.
Marx took his international career to new heights on 7 October 2017, with his performance against New Zealand becoming much-talked about and publicised, arguably his best individual performance to date. The performances of Marx, as well as fellow forwardsSteven Kitshoff and newly-appointed Springbok CaptainEben Etzebeth allowed South Africa to compete well against the All Blacks, with Marx making four turnovers and many tackles on defence, also setting up replacement loose forwardJean-Luc du Preez for a try and scoring the final try of the game. Marx's try was converted by Lions teammateElton Jantjies to make the final score a narrow 24-25 loss to the All Blacks. Marx completed his 2017 rugby season by appearing in three of the four Springbok tests during the2017 end-of-year rugby union internationals.
In 2017 Marx scooped a number of awards, he was voted SA Rugby Player of the Year and SA Rugby Young Player of the Year. He was also voted South African Super Rugby Player of the Tournament.[21]
Marx was named in South Africa's squad for the2019 Rugby World Cup.[22] South Africa went on to win the tournament, defeatingEngland in the final.[23]
Marx was part of South Africa's squad that won the2023 Rugby World Cup; however, he missed most of the tournament due to a knee injury suffered in training.[24]
Malcom is married to his wife Kirsten, with whom he has a son and daughter.[25]
| Against | P | W | D | L | Try | Pts | %Won |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Argentina | 14 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 35 | 85.71 |
 Australia | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 25 | 41.67 |
 British & Irish Lions | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 66.67 |
 Canada | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
 England | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 80 |
 France | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 85.71 |
 Georgia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 100 |
 Ireland | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 40 |
 Italy | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 15 | 100 |
 Japan | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
 New Zealand | 17 | 7 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 30 | 41.18 |
 Scotland | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
 Wales | 11 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 15 | 63.64 |
| Total | 87 | 58 | 3 | 26 | 26 | 130 | 66.67 |
Pld = Games Played, W = Games Won, D = Games Drawn, L = Games Lost, Tri = Tries Scored, Pts = Points Scored
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