Wiese reloads for ‘guns blazing’ All Blacks

Noting it’s his “lekkerist part” of the game, Springbok powerhouse Jasper Wiese is bracing for a physical riposte from a desperate New Zealand outfit on Saturday, reports DEVIN HERMANUS.

The 48-cap Wiese has featured in all three Tests of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series, including last week’s 29-24 win that gave the world champions a 2-1 lead going into the finale.

Addressing the media on Tuesday ahead of the decider at Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium, the 30-year-old revealed how the mood on the shared flight over was a sign of how much victory means to both camps.

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“Ja, I’m not going to sugarcoat it, I don’t think there was a lot of chat,” he said. “Maybe I was at the back of the plane, so I wasn’t talking to any of them [laughs]. 

“But you can imagine how they felt on that flight, and it would be vice versa if we were in their position: how desperate they’re going to be in this last game. That’s something we know is coming.

“We know how much it means to them as well, and I think they’re going to come out guns blazing this weekend.”

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For Wiese, that kind of confrontation is exactly what excites him.

“I think the physicality is always the nicest part for me about it too. 

“Sometimes you’re getting dominated, and sometimes you dominate. You’re not going to win every contact point, but I wouldn’t say it’s the nicest – it’s the lekkerist part of playing rugby, that.”

He admitted the clashes with the Kiwis have been brutal, but the Japan-based bruiser is confident about getting over the finishing line.

“The All Blacks are a physical team. If I’m honest, after a game I’m always sore.

“But take a few pain pills on a Sunday, get the body going again on the Monday, and then we rinse and repeat the week again.”

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Wiese also touched on the record-breaking Bok back-row combination he shares with Siya Kolisi and Pieter-Steph du Toit – 19 Test starts together.

“I actually didn’t know about it – we saw after the game [last week] that the three of us got that record – but it’s special to have built a relationship, and not just on the field.”

On the stakes and mindset around winning the series, the 2023 World Cup winner added: “It would be something amazing to achieve … not just the players, but the coaches, everybody. 

“It’s definitely as special a series as any of those other series or competitions [we’ve won] in comparison.”

Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images