Malcolm Marx has pushed back against any notion that Saturday's Nations Championship clash against Wales at Hollywoodbets Kings Park will be straightforward, warning that the Welsh will bring a confrontational, physical contest that will demand a complete performance from the Springboks.
"Wales are a tough side regardless of their previous results," said Marx. "They are extremely physical and well-drilled, so it's going to be a big challenge. In the past couple of years, when we've played against them, it's always been a tough battle. They don't go away, so we know it's going to take a full 80-minute performance this weekend if we want to get the result."
The match is the Boks' third and final home game in the Nations Championship, kicking off at 17h40 on SuperSport.
Marx also spoke about the opportunity to scrummage alongside uncapped prop Carlu Sadie, one of four debutants named in the side by Rassie Erasmus. The two last packed down together at the Lions in 2018 and 2019, and Marx was candid about the value of testing new combinations at this stage of the campaign.
"He's had a great season at Bordeaux, and now he's getting his opportunity," said Marx. "I know what he can do. Obviously, we haven't played together in a while, so it's just about testing combinations and seeing what works best."
On the broader team picture, Marx acknowledged the changed lineup — Erasmus rotated heavily from the side that faced Scotland — but framed Saturday's objective in terms of incremental improvement rather than results alone. "There's always room for improvement regardless of how the game goes. For us this week, it's just about working on the small things that we felt we didn't get right last week or in the previous two weeks."
The Boks completed their main training block on Wednesday, take Thursday off to recuperate, and run their captain's run on Friday.