Marvin Orie was one of the “absurd heroes” in the Stormers’ successful inaugural United Rugby Championship story, and how he fought his way into the 33-man Springbok World Cup squad is a testament to how he adapted his game over the past couple of seasons.
The 30-year-old came into the Cape franchise as a total outsider – a player who had his fair share of run-ins with players from Western Province when he played for the Bulls and Lions.
But he slotted in effortlessly in Cape Town and has grown his allaround game so much under Stormers coach John Dobson that he started in most of the Springbok Tests this season.
And with the No 5 jersey vacant due to the loss of 2019 World Cup winner Lood de Jager through illness, Orie can still play an important role for the Boks at the 2023 edition should they call on him.
“What we got right in his game is that we backed him,” Dobson told the about the lock when he came down to Cape Town.
“It’s the same with Manie (Libbok) in a sense, and they are very close. We backed them. From the start, we said ‘Marvin, you are in charge of the line-outs’. He never had to be apologetic about being on the team or not fitting in.
“He was exactly the story we wanted – a guy from Toilet City in Belhar – and he brought real professionalism to our rugby.
“What he did tweak a bit was his work rate. This is a guy that makes 20 tackles and 30 cleans a game. And I don’t think he was known for that. He was known as a jolly jumper.
“I don’t want to sound negative, but that body is not a RG Snyman. He is not the typical archetype of a South African lock, and that sort of ties into him being an ‘absurd hero’.
“But we didn’t have that professionalism at the Stormers, but he brought it. The guys in the canteen started talking about line-outs and plays rather than what they were going to do on a Friday night.”
Dobson was pleased that Orie made the squad, and said he hoped the Boks use him in a similar role to the one at the Stormers over the past two seasons.
He played brilliantly as a link between the backs and forwards in the Tests against Australia and Argentina, while focusing on his primary task as a line-out jumper to secure valuable possession for his side.
And the fact that he has adapted to this role without any hiccups is probably what swayed the Bok coaches into picking him when De Jager was unavailable.
Orie said the nervousness of making the squad had dissipated, but now there is nervousness about what South African supporters expect of them at the tournament.
“The history of the Boks in a World Cup speaks for itself. The guys did well four years ago, but this is a new one, and it will be important for us to have good performances,” he said.
“It’s exciting as well, and hopefully the pressure brings out the best in us.”
Orie has left the Stormers, though, and will join French club Perpignan on a two-year contract after the World Cup.
IOL Sport