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Marx vs Taylor: The decade-long hooker duel returns SPOTLIGHT: Malcolm Marx and Codie Taylor are set to renew their decade-long rivalry when the Springboks host the All Blacks at Ellis Park on Saturday for the first Test in the Greatest Rivalry series. Forged in Super Rugby in 2016, the heavyweight hookers have a long and rivalled history. Marx, a two-time Rugby World Cup winner and former SA Rugby Player of the Year, has been a cornerstone of the Springboks for the past decade. Three years older, Taylor has become an equally influential figure in the All Blacks pack and one of South Africa’s most familiar opponents. Taylor’s value lies in the precision he brings to virtually every facet of his role: the accuracy of his line-out throwing, his work at scrum time, his timing when joining the attack and his understanding of New Zealand’s attacking structure. *Continues below… They will be tested 💯 Read more here: https://t.co/NfWvSYnQFG 🌐#Rugby365 #RSAvNZL #RGR pic.twitter.com/wzpAgD8mHF — Rugby365 (@rugby365com) August 18, 2026 For the Springboks, Marx offers a different kind of menace. His influence cannot be overstated. Four tries in the Rugby Championship made him the joint-leading try-scorer in the competition, while five Test tries in 2025 took his international tally to 26 in 87 appearances at the time. He is the only forward among South Africa’s all-time top 10 Test try-scorers. His work at the breakdown is among the most destructive in world rugby, while his ability to carry through contact gives the Boks another powerful point of attack. Whether he starts a match or is unleashed from the bench, Marx has become one of South Africa’s most reliable weapons when the game begins to fracture. They arrived on the Test scene just a year apart, Taylor in 2015 and Marx in 2016, coming off the bench. They also went head-to-head in Super Rugby, with Marx representing the Lions and Taylor the Crusaders. Both started the 2017 and 2018 finals, with the Canterbury-based side claiming victory on both occasions. Their longevity is reflected in their Test records, with Marx having amassed 89 caps and Taylor 109. When Marx faced the media on Tuesday, the famously understated Springbok was reluctant to turn their rivalry into a storyline of its own. Instead, he offered a measured assessment of his long-time opponent. “He’s a great, great rugby player. He’s extremely physical, good at the set-piece. We’ll have a bit of a laugh and a beer after the game, but we obviously both know on the day we both have a job to do.” That job will begin in the set-piece, where the Springboks are expecting the All Blacks to test them relentlessly. Previous dominance at scrum time will count for little, Marx warned, with New Zealand arriving determined to erase any lessons South Africa may have drawn from their previous encounters. “Last year is the past and we have to deal with what’s in front of us,” Marx said. *Continues below… “We know the All Blacks will come after us at scrum time and we are working hard at it, but so are they. We can’t rely on the past to take us through the game. “We have to ensure our work over the last couple of weeks has been done to give us the best chance this weekend.” With the teams yet to be announced, Marx is expected to start for the world champions, putting him on a collision course with either Taylor or Samisoni Taukei’aho. The battle goes beyond the scrum. At the breakdown, in contact and whenever the ball is in hand, the All Blacks’ front-rowers will provide a formidable test but Marx was keeping the Springboks’ plans close to his chest. “I don’t think I will tell you how we will try and stay on top of it, but we are working hard at it,” he said. “We are doing plenty of analysis to see where we can improve from previous games and to look at the threats that they bring, like at the breakdown, and to see if there are opportunities for us as well. “We’ve worked really hard and we will see how the weekend goes.” Watch Rugby's Greatest Rivalry LIVE Two rugby giants collide. Stream live, replays and highlights free on RugbyPass TV.