Malcolm Marx doesn’t need to guess what life under Johan Ackermann looks like, he’s already lived it during the Lions’ most glorious era. Now, as the World Rugby Men’s Player of the Year prepares to leave Japanese club Kubota Spears and return to South Africa with the Vodacom Bulls strongly linked, the prospect of reuniting with his former mentor has the makings of something special.
Also read: Bulls complete Marx masterstroke for next year
Six caps away from a Springbok century and already the record holder for most tries scored by a Bok forward (29), Marx knows exactly what Ackermann demands. More importantly, he’s already proven he can deliver it at the highest level.
Recent reflections on the Verdict podcast revealed just how profoundly Ackermann shaped Marx’s career during that golden Lions period when the Johannesburg franchise contested back-to-back Super Rugby finals in 2016 and 2017. The double World Cup-winning hooker was candid about the environment Ackermann created, one that transcended tactics and training drills.
“Getting into the setup, you could see how much he cared about the team culture, being a family man, creating cohesion between everybody and making it fun to be there,” Marx explained. “Not drilling everything in, we enjoyed ourselves while we were playing and enjoyed each other’s company.”
Building unity from outcasts
Central to Ackermann’s success was forging genuine collective identity from a squad drawn from different corners of South Africa, players who weren’t necessarily first-choice options at other franchises. That Lions core featuring Kwagga Smith, Faf de Klerk, Franco Mostert, Elton Jantjies and Marx himself became a brotherhood under his watch, proving doubters catastrophically wrong.
The back-to-back finals weren’t flukes. They were the product of clear philosophy executed brilliantly by players who genuinely bought into what Ackermann was building.
Attacking rugby built on relentless fitness
Ackermann’s Lions played with unmistakable identity, expansive, fast-tempo and always hunting space to move the ball. Marx spoke with genuine admiration for the approach whilst acknowledging the brutal physical demands.
“The way they coached, it was a lot of attacking rugby and moving the ball, but running for 80 minutes at Ellis Park isn’t the most pleasant thing on the planet,” he said, noting that elite fitness standards gave them the edge over visiting opposition wilting in Johannesburg’s altitude.
That expansive blueprint contrasted sharply with the Springboks‘ forward-dominant approach, yet Marx credits his Lions tenure as the foundation preparing him for Test rugby. The intensity at both levels remains identical, and sustaining it week after week under Ackermann transformed him into the world-class operator dominating international rugby today.
Why this reunion means everything
Ackermann now commands operations at Loftus Versfeld, and Marx’s impending Bulls arrival feels fitting rather than coincidental. This isn’t a gamble on unknown chemistry, it’s rekindling a partnership that’s already produced magic.
The Bulls boast formidable forward depth, yet adding Marx’s, lineout expertise and work-rate brings a different dimension entirely. Ackermann knows how to maximise his strengths. Marx knows exactly what standards Ackermann demands.
That familiarity breeds excellence rather than complacency. Sometimes the best moves forward involve going back to what worked brilliantly before.
