South African props Steven Kitshoff and Trevor Nyakane selected their combined team following the Springboks’ 3-1 series victory over New Zealand. The selection omitted former World Rugby Players of the Year Ardie Savea, Pieter-Steph du Toit, and Beauden Barrett.
The World Cup winning front-row duo named nine Springboks and six All Blacks in their side on the For the Love of Rugby podcast. While Malcolm Marx stood out as the sole individual award recipient in the XV, high-profile omissions sparked immediate discussion. Savea crossed for three tries in three Tests before suffering a shoulder injury, yet Jasper Wiese earned the number eight jersey alongside Luke Jacobson and Siya Kolisi. Two-time winner Du Toit played throughout the series but missed out, while 35-year-old Barrett lost the fly-half slot to New Zealand’s Ruben Love.
Marx retained the hooker position following series-long set-piece dominance and breakdown efficiency. Explaining the selection process, Nyakane said: “I don’t think there’s much of a debate right here because we all know him” before adding, “Malcolm ‘Moose’ Marx, probably, arguably the best rugby player in the world. Malcolm gets that number two jumper for me and that’s what I think.”
Marx anchored an all-South African front row alongside Ox Nche and Wilco Louw. Kitshoff praised his front-row colleague: “I thought Deon Fourie played well. I thought the New Zealand hookers played exceptionally well. Codie Taylor captained in Baltimore. But Malcolm was just – and Malcolm is maybe even my player of the tournament, to be honest – just incredible each and every game that he was on the field.”
Nyakane reinforced the praise for the hooker. He added: “Now Moose, my man, well done. We really enjoyed watching you play. He is a one-man wrecking ball at this moment. Hard to stop. Beautiful to watch. Enjoyable. And Malcolm Marx gets that number two spot for us.”
South Africa secured a 3-1 triumph over their rivals, demonstrating impressive squad depth. New Zealand struggled at the scrum against a dominant Springbok pack, leaving forward structures under scrutiny despite averaging over four tries per match. The series win consolidates South Africa’s status atop the global rankings as both squads adjust heading into their next domestic and international fixtures.
