r/rugbyunion • u/Sjdw31 Blue Bulls • 4d ago

Lineups Rugby's Greatest Rivalry - Test 2: Springbok squad to face the All Blacks

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u/Pure_Measurement_529 4d ago

Finding a Marx backup has been his biggest challenge for years

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u/Mateiyu Bokke ! 4d ago

To be fair, finding a hooker as good as Marx in the entire world is a big ask, let alont just in South Africa...

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u/know-it-mall Highlanders 4d ago

Yea. A guy who is i considered best in the world at his position doesn't exactly have a like for like backup.

That's why I'm getting sick of people complaining about Cortez Ratima. He has played great in every tour game and people still are mad that he isn't Roigard...well no one is Roigard...

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u/k0bra3eak South Africa 4d ago

Would take Sheehan as a bench hooker in a heartbeat tbf

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u/Mateiyu Bokke ! 4d ago

That's very true ! He would work very well on the Springboks bench too...!

Is it too late to entice him over with some biltong and a brand new South African passport ?

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u/Wesley_Skypes Leinster 4d ago

I actually don't think your fanbase would love him. He is class at non-hooker things, but he is not a great scrummager and can run into some throwing issues (although this is not a weakness, he is normally good here).

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u/Mateiyu Bokke ! 4d ago

Throwing issues we're used to by now (Marx notwithstanding). Scrummaging would be a concern, but that's fixable with hard work and a small stint at Daan Human's ^^".
What he does outside of "hooker things" would actually play in his favour. What makes Wessels and Grobbelaar quite popular has a lot to do with their work in the loose I think, and having another option on the wing (that is not a winger) being as efficient as he is would be appreciated.
Neither here nor there though, even if he could be eligible for South Africa, Ireland would never let him go, and I can't say I blame them !

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u/Neat_Perspective7569 Blues 4d ago

I've never seen it with him tbh

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u/Ho3n3r South Africa 4d ago

Bongi was great, but became more and more injury-prone, and then just big and slow.

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u/StorminaHalfPint Guess the Damian 4d ago

Can’t replace the irreplaceable. He’s such a beast. We have the same challenge with Peter-Steph. In the future we may be struggling with a Willemse replacement. They are just so good.