BOK DREAM TEAM: Who should be our hooker?
As we move into Week 2 of our Bok Dream Team voting, the attention turns to one of the hardest selections we'll have to make - picking the man between the props.
If you'd like to find out more about this campaign, CLICK HERE to get an overview.
But seeing as you'll need some help in making this decision, here's what senior rugby writer Brenden Nel has to say about the big guys on offer...
TOO WHAT?!
There was a rugby website that defined a hooker in the simplest terms: Too short for the rest of the front row, too fat for the back, too slow for a winger and too short a temper for any of them.
But jokes aside, the hooker position is one synonymous with top-class players, those who make a difference, pop up on the wing and tend to score a lot of tries off the back of mauls these days.
They are incredibly specialised, and certainly are a massive influence on the side. Often found in leadership roles, they tend to front up and South Africa are blessed to have some of the best that have ever graced a rugby field.
With that introduction aside, the Springbok Dream Team has a few exceptional candidates for the hooker position, and a tough draw to choose just one player over the past 30 years of Springbok rugby.
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But here they are:
1. James Dalton (Springboks 1994-2002)
If you ever have to look up the phrase tough as nails in a dictionary, chances are there will be a photo of James Dalton there. Nuggety, tough and incredibly competitive, Dalton was the son of a police captain and as hard as they come.
Powerful and never shy to pop up in the wider channels, his competitiveness made him an easy choice for Kitch Christie going into the 1995 World Cup and Dalton could be hot-headed at times, he certainly was the stand-out hooker for most of his career across the world.
His only blemish was the fight in the infamous Battle of Boet Erasmus against Canada in 1995 where he was sent off his role in the fracas, causing him to miss the semifinal and final of the World Cup. Dalton always maintained he was trying to stop the fight and wasn’t involved.
Dalton was also a big part of the Lions’ dream squad that dominated South African rugby in the 1990s and will forever be an icon of Springbok rugby.
2. John Smit (Springboks 2000-2011)
Captain fantastic, John Smit stands out for two major milestones as well as his playing prowess. A strong leadership figure, he is one of only a handful of players to lift the Webb Ellis trophy as captain of a World Cup winning team and played 111 times for the Springboks.
Smit was the 50th captain of the Springboks and also played 13 times as a prop - most notably as a tighthead against the British and Irish Lions in 2009 - where he led the Boks to a series victory. At the time of his retirement he was the most capped Springbok ever. Smit was also inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame along with all the other World Cup winning captains.
He made his debut against Canada in East London in 2000 and played a record 46 consecutive tests for South Africa. In 2009 he claimed the title as the captain to lead his side in test rugby the most, surpassing George Gregan and Will Carling. His win percentage of 72% is one of the highest in international rugby and Smit has won more tests as captain than any other Springbok.
After his Springbok retirement his record as captain for the most international games was broken, by Ireland's Brian O'Driscoll in 2012 and New Zealand's Richie McCaw in 2013.
3. Malcolm Marx (Springboks 2016-present)
One of the undoubted stars of the current Springbok team, Marx is a double World Cup winner and a massive part of Rassie Erasmus’ all-conquering Bok outfit.
The big hooker is known for his physicality and ball-stealing abilities, as well as his thumping tackles and is a favourite among Springbok fans for his consistent performances and incredible ability to effect turnovers at crucial times.
Marx was named the SA Rugby player of the year in 2017, as well as SA Young Player of the year. He was also awarded the SA Rugby Player of the Super Rugby tournament award that year as well.
A model of professionalism, Marx is the perfect example of what has made the Springboks so good since Rassie Erasmus took charge of the side.
4. Bismarck du Plessis (Springboks 2007-2015)
Along with his brother Jannie, the Du Plessis brothers are both known for their incredible play on the field, as well as their sense of humour off it. A powerful player who had the penchant for always being involved when the Springboks score tries, Du Plessis was always the centre of debate for the hooker position at both the Sharks and Springboks, where both he and John Smit shared the two jersey.
Following Smit’s move to tighthead under Peter de Villiers as coach, Du Plessis came into his own and the faster, more mobile Du Plessis made a massive difference to the Bok scrum and to their play, both in their victory in the 2009 Tri Nations and the series win over the British and Irish Lions.
There was a debate around the 2011 World Cup whether Du Plessis should have started at hooker ahead of Smit, but following the latter’s retirement after the World Cup, Du Plessis became the starting hooker and was a menace for opposition sides in the test arena.
In 2013 he was yellow carded by French referee Romain Poite for a perfectly legal tackle on Dan Carter, with another yellow turning the sanction into a red. World Rugby afterwards admitted the tackle yellow was a mistake and rescinded it, but the sense of injustice remained.
Du Plessis retired from international rugby after the 2015 World Cup, where South Africa finished third.
5. Bongi Mbonambi
It was bizarre to hear a Bulls High Performance manager once say that Mbonambi wouldn’t become a Springbok, when even at junior level it was clear the hooker was a standout figure that was destined for success. Nevertheless Mbonambi fulfilled his promise and has become one of the legends of Springbok rugby, particularly with the way he and Marx have become a feared duo in the infamous “Bomb squad” and Springbok setpiece.
Bongi, as he is affectionately known, captured the hearts of South Africans with his tears in the changeroom, as seen on Chasing the Sun 2, where he was emotionally overwhelmed by a Springbok victory.
Mbonambi has played 73 tests before the current season for the Boks and made his debut against Ireland. His partnership in the Bok front row has been one of the standouts of the Bok success while he has no trouble scoring tries either.
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