King Edward VII School (KES) has paid tribute to former pupil Malcolm Marx following his World Rugby Player of the Year crowning.
The school erected a board in their grounds congratulating Marx, who matriculated in 2012. Unfortunately, his named was spelt incorrectly!
Marx, now a double Rugby World Cup-winning Springbok hooker, became the fourth South African to be named World Rugby men’s 15s Player of the Year on Saturday since the award was first handed out in 2000.
Free Spins, Flights, and Bets on Betway
It was an historic occasion for South African rugby, with two Springboks winning the award back-to-back for the first time in history.
Marx’s team-mate and fellow nominee Pieter-Steph du Toit became the first South African to scoop the title for the second time in history last year.
Key figure
Marx, still only 31, has been a key figure for the Springboks in the lineouts, scrums, at the breakdowns, and in general play this season.
He scooped the award for the first time after being nominated alongside his team-mates Du Toit – the 2024 and 2019 World Rugby Player of the Year – as well as Ox Nche (prop) for the world’s most prestigious player award.
French wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey was the fourth nominee.
Marx, who was also nominated for the award in 2018 and was the SA Rugby Men’s Player of the Year in 2017, joined an exclusive list of only three previous South Africans – Du Toit, Bryan Habana (2007), and Schalk Burger (2004) – to earn the award.
Habana is also a KES old boy, making the Johannesburg school the only school in the world to have had two former learners walk away with the World Rugby Player of the Year award.
KES, established in 1902, have had five Springboks in their history: Habana, Marx, Joe van Niekerk, Skaap Forrest and Scarra Ntubeni.
Van Niekerk was also a previous World Rugby Player of the Year nominee back in 2002.
Marx has played 87 Tests to date, scoring 26 tries – which is the record for a Springbok forward.
Factfile: Malcolm Marx
| Full names: Malcolm Justin Marx |
| Date of birth: 13 July 1994 |
| Place of birth: Germiston |
| School: King Edward VII School (KES) |
| Springbok #876 |
| Physical: 1.89m, 114kg |
| Current age: 31 |
| Test summary: Tests: 87 Tries: 26 |
| First Test: 17 September 2016 – Reserve against New Zealand at AMI Stadium, Christchurch |
| Last Test: 22 November 2025 – Hooker against Ireland at Aviva Stadium, Dublin |
