Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx says they are bracing for a “confrontational and physical battle” against Wales at Kings Park on Saturday.The match (5.40pm) is the Boks’ third and final home game in the Nations Championship.Marx, the 2025 SA Rugby and World Rugby Men’s Player of the Year, shot down suggestions the Boks are the clear favourites given their favourable win record against the Welsh over the last few years.“Wales are a tough side regardless of their previous results,” he said. “They are extremely physical and well-drilled, so it’s going to be a big challenge.“In the past couple of years, when we’ve played against them, it’s always been a tough battle. They don’t go away, so we know it’s going to take a full 80-minute performance if we want to get the result.”Marx relishes the opportunity to pack down in the front row with uncapped prop Carlu Sadie, who is one of four players who will take the field in their first Test.“He’s had a great season at Bordeaux, and now he’s getting his opportunity. I scrummed with him back at the Lions in 2018 and 2019, so I have played with him before, and I know what he can do.“We haven’t played together in a while, so it’s just about testing combinations and seeing what works best and I’m looking forward to the challenge this week.”The game of rugby is not perfect, and there will always be errors and mistakes.— Malcolm MarxSpringbok coach Rassie Erasmus may have named a vastly different team to the side that ran out in the win against Scotland on Saturday, but Marx said their objective this weekend was to keep building as a team and to make a steady improvement each week.“There’s always room for improvement regardless of how the game goes,” Marx said.“The game of rugby is not perfect, and there will always be errors and mistakes. For us this week, it’s just about working on the small things that we felt we didn’t get right last week or in the previous two weeks, and trying to improve in those areas.“We know how physical Wales can be and what a threat they are, so we are preparing as best we can and working on those one or two percenters to get better this weekend.”SA Rugby media