First Bok cap whets Cobus Wiese’s appetite for more

Winning a coveted first Springbok Test cap against Italy in Gqeberha has whetted his appetite to fight for many more appearances in the green and gold jersey, forward Cobus Wiese says.

Wiese had to endure several setbacks before he was able to run onto the field as a substitute in front of 46,000 fans at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday.

Ambitious Wiese will earn his second cap when he starts at No 8, in the place of his suspended brother Jasper, when the Boks face Georgia in Mbombela on Saturday (kickoff 5.10pm).

Though he was called into a wider Springbok squad in 2018, a serious neck injury delayed his much-awaited South Africa debut.

“I have always said I want one Test and after that I want one more,” Wiese said. “So I think I will stick to that principle.

“Every week I will work hard, like it’s my first one, just to get one more. But the hard work starts now, to stay here and solidify my place.

“I don’t want to say the injuries make the wait more special, because it’s a huge privilege. But to have that many operations and long-term injuries, the biggest one was in 2018, when I broke my neck.

“And now, seven years later, I’m getting that cap, it’s amazing. It was worth the wait. It’s that old cliché of don’t give up and keep on going, and it’s true.

“It would have been a huge honour to play for the Boks then, and even now it’s an incredible honour.”

Wiese had been set to play with his older brother Jasper in Gqeberha, but that special moment was dashed when Jasper was red-carded for a headbutt on an opposition player.

“I don’t think you can put it into words how special it is. We are the 37th pair of brothers in the history of Springbok rugby. So it’s an overwhelming sense of pride.

“When your brother is on the field or in the same team as you, it’s easy to get yourself up for it. Jasper started and went and cancelled himself for 60 minutes in Gqeberha.

“If he had stayed on the pitch, we probably would have played together for four or five minutes before he would have been substituted.”

Bok assistant coach Deon Davids and lock Ruan Nortje are expecting a physical battle against Georgia in Mbombela.

“Every Test is important for us and we never underestimate any team,” Davids said.

“We know what their DNA is. We played against them in 2021, so they will bring their traditional physicality and give everything out there.

“We’ve heard they want to play in the Six Nations and they will see this match as a step in trying to achieve that.

“That said, we have our own standards and we know where we want to be going into the Rugby Championship later in the season, so this is a huge game for us to try to improve and build on what we have achieved so far.”

Nortje said he cherished every moment of being back in the Springbok squad and looked forward to facing Georgia at Mbombela Stadium.

“Mbombela Stadium is one of my favourite places to play,” he said. “I was fortunate to face Argentina here last year and I’ll never forget the atmosphere and the support for the team.

“The people here get behind the Boks, so I’ll be excited if I get an opportunity to play this weekend.”

Speaking about what makes the Springbok environment so special, the physical lock said: “This is a fantastic environment to be part of and every player is privileged to be here, so when you get the opportunity you have to grab it with both hands.

“Personally, I try to learn as much as I can whenever I’m in the team, especially if one looks at the locks we have, such as Eben Etzebeth, RG Snyman and a couple of others, who are among the best in the world.”

The Herald