Faf heaps praise on Marx ahead of 50th Test: 'He's a teddy off the field and animal on it'

In Mbombela

Springbok scrumhalf Faf de Klerk described former Lions teammate and starting hooker for Saturday Malcolm Marx as a teddy bear off the field and an animal on it ahead of Saturday's Rugby Championship Test against the All Blacks in Mbombela.

The two players made their Test debuts at different stages in 2016 on the back of devastating Super Rugby form for the Lions.

Marx, who is three years De Klerk's junior, has marched onto his half-century of caps that he'll raise on Saturday faster than De Klerk.

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De Klerk will be playing in his 37th Test, having missed out on a few through injury and also not being eligible to play for the Boks in 2017 because of the 30-cap rule that was in place at the time.

De Klerk, who will also be starting in what will be his second hometown Test, said Marx has been a model of consistent improvement.

"Malcolm was still a boy when I first played with him at the Lions and the one thing that stood out was his strength over the ball," De Klerk said.

15 Damian Willemse, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Trevor Nyakane

Substitutes: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Salmaan Moerat, 20 Franco Mostert, 21 Kwagga Smith, 22 Jaden Hendrikse, 23 Willie le Roux

"He wasn't the most accurate thrower when he started off, but he's worked so hard at it, I can't remember the last time he missed a lineout.

"His work rate and off-the-field work are immense, and his