Marx: The whole of SA is our fortress

If selected, the world’s best and SA Rugby Player of the Year Malcolm Marx knows he and the Springboks have a job to do defending Ellis Park against the All Blacks on Saturday.

One of the world’s leading hookers renowned for his powerful ball-carrying and turnover prowess, the two-time World Cup winner expects an explosive showdown in the opening clash of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series. catcrossgame.com

The 32-year-old on Tuesday was asked if the Joburg venue is still a Bok fortress, given that the Wallabies stunned the world champs there last year, after the All Blacks did the same in 2022.

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“I think the whole of South Africa is our fortress, to be honest. It doesn’t matter where we play or who we’re playing against,” he said.

“We know we’re not just representing ourselves. We’ve got 64, 65 million people that we’re trying to represent, and we want to represent them the best we can on the day.”

According to the front-row juggernaut, previous success at scrum time will offer the Boks no comfort against an All Blacks pack determined to challenge them.

“We know the All Blacks will obviously come after us at the scrum. We can’t rely on what’s happened in the past to take us through this game,” Marx said.

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The breakdown will be another key battle, although Marx was giving little away about the Boks’ plans: “I don’t think I’ll tell you how we’ll try and stay on top of it! [Laughs]

“We’re doing a lot of analysis and seeing where we can be better, and the threats they bring in that aspect of the game. We’ll see how the weekend goes if I’m selected.”

There will be no excuses around the altitude or conditions, with Marx insisting both teams have had enough time to prepare.

“Everything’s the same for both sides. Whatever the occasion is and whatever comes on Saturday, we’ve just got to man up and give the best we can on the day.”

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On facing New Zealand rivals like Codie Taylor, Marx said he has plenty of respect for them.

“He’s a great player. We have a laugh and a beer after the game, but we both know that on the day we’ve both got a job to do.

“All explosive players, very explosive. Good with ball in hand, good in defence and obviously great at set-piece.”

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And when the haka begins on Saturday, Marx’s focus will not be on matching the emotion but on what comes next.

“Respect it firstly,” he noted. “Think about your first job at hand after the haka is done.

“I do look at one specific player – I think you can probably guess who it is …”

Photo: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images

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DAKAR, Senegal, Aug 18 – Former Arsenal and France captain Patrick Vieira has been appointed as the new head coach of the Senegal men’s national team.

The 50‑year‑old replaces Pape Thiaw, who was sacked in the wake of the country’s last‑32 exit at the 2026 Fifa World Cup.

Born in Senegal’s capital Dakar, Vieira will now manage the country of his birth, having moved to France aged eight before later winning over 100 caps for Les Bleus and lifting the World Cup in 1998 and the European Championship in 2000.

Senegal’s football federation (FSF) said the appointment reflects its “desire to strengthen its high-level technical staff” and is “perfectly aligned” with the nation’s sporting ambitions.

Details of Vieria’s contract and his starting date in the role are still being discussed.

His first matches in charge of the Teranga Lions are expected to come next month in qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).

Vieira joins the West Africans after he left his role as Genoa head coach by mutual consent last November, with the team bottom of Serie A.

He won eight and drew nine of his 26 games during the 2024-25 season to guide the Italian club to safety and a 13th-place finish.

However, he left the club after managing just two wins in 25-26, with both of those victories coming in the Coppa Italia.

During his playing career, midfielder Vieira won three Premier League titles and four FA Cups at Arsenal, as well as silverware with AC Milan, Inter Milan and Manchester City.

He retired in 2011 and became the manager of New York City in 2016 before returning to Europe with Nice and leading them to seventh in Ligue 1 in his first season.

Vieira was sacked in December 2020 and became Crystal Palace manager the following year, guiding the Eagles to 12th in the Premier League and the FA Cup semi-finals in 2021-22.

He was dismissed in March 2023 after a 12-game winless run, before joining RC Strasbourg as their first appointment following a takeover by BlueCo, the company which owns Chelsea. He left Strasbourg by mutual consent in July 2024.

His predecessor Thiaw was at the centre of controversy in January when he ushered his Senegal team off the field when Morocco were awarded a stoppage-time penalty in the 2025 Afcon final.

The players eventually returned after a delay of about 17 minutes before Brahim Diaz’s penalty was saved and Pape Gueye scored an extra-time winner.

However, Morocco were declared the winners of the tournament in March when the a Confederation of African Football appeals board overturned the result of the final following Senegal’s walk-off.

Senegal have lodged an appeal against that decision with the Court of Arbitration for Sport – with the case due to be heard on 8 October.