Malcolm Marx to leave Japan and return to South Africa after six years with Kubota Spears

Malcolm Marx will leave Kubota Spears at the end of the 2026/27 Japan Rugby League One season and return to South Africa, the 93-cap Springbok confirmed in a statement published on the club’s website. The 32-year-old cited family reasons for his decision not to extend beyond June 2027, bringing a six-year chapter in Japan to a close.

Marx has been based in Japan since 2020, initially with NTT Communications Shining Arcs before moving to Kubota, where he has made 58 League One appearances and established himself as one of the competition’s premier hookers. The reigning World Rugby Player of the Year and double World Cup winner says he remains fully committed to the Spears for their upcoming campaign before departing.

“I am fully focused on the upcoming season and will continue to give everything I have to the team, with the goal of finishing this journey on a high note,” Marx wrote. “Although this chapter is coming to an end, my commitment to the Spears remains as strong as ever.”

His return is expected to generate significant interest from South Africa’s United Rugby Championship clubs. The Bulls had already made contact with Marx earlier this year over a potential move, and the Sharks could now enter the picture following the departure of fellow Springbok hooker Bongi Mbonambi, who left Durban this week to join the Stormers. Mbonambi’s exit leaves a clear vacancy in the Sharks’ front row, though no talks between the Durban franchise and Marx have been confirmed at this stage.

Marx expressed warm gratitude to Kubota in his farewell message, describing his time with the club as “a memorable experience” for both himself and his family. “I sincerely hope this is not a goodbye forever, but rather a see you again,” he added.

With one final League One season still to play, the question of where Marx lands in South African rugby will be one of the more compelling transfer stories to follow heading into 2027.