Marx to leave Japan, Bulls closing in

The 2025 World Player of the Year is heading home to South Africa for family reasons, but the jersey is still to be confirmed.

The departure itself is settled: the Spears confirmed on October 30 that Malcolm Marx will not stay beyond his contract. He will play one last League One season before returning.

Bulls ahead of Sharks

Marx has not named his destination. According to South African weekly Rapport, quoted by Planet Rugby, talks with the Bulls are “90% complete” on a three-year deal that would reunite him with Johan Ackermann, his former Lions coach. SARugbymag goes further and says he has already signed, without confirmation from the club.

The Sharks, who lost Bongi Mbonambi to the Stormers, have also been linked. In Pretoria, Marx would join a well-stocked position alongside Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Johan Grobbelaar and Juann Else.

Due to family reasons, I have made the difficult decision not to extend my contract beyond the 2026/27 season and will be returning to South Africa.

Malcolm Marx

41 tries in 68 Spears games

Marx’s Japan record is remarkable for a hooker: 68 games and 41 tries for the Spears, or six tries every 10 games. Before that he scored five in six games for the Shining Arcs. The club won the title in 2022-23 and reached the final in 2024-25 and 2025-26.

In Super Rugby with the Lions, he scored 30 tries in 67 games. He has more than 90 Springbok caps.

Pollard, the other file

The Bulls must also settle Handre Pollard’s future, with his contract up at the end of the season. Rapport reports strong interest from Japanese clubs and divided sources, one positive, another saying the fly-half will not decide before 2027. The same paper says Embrose Papier has re-signed until 2028.