As Jasper Wiese gears up to face off against Ireland this Saturday, the Springbok No 8 is basking in high praise from Harry Wells, his former Leicester Tigers cohort. Wells, who has seen his fair share of rugby titans, rates Wiese as one of the most formidable forwards he's ever had the privilege to play alongside.
During their time together at Leicester, where they chased the elusive title, Wells witnessed firsthand the sheer impact of Wiese's gameplay. "He’s in my team because of his ball carrying ability and his tackling. He’s immensely destructive and effective," Wells shared with Rugbypass. The England lock vividly recalls his first encounter with Wiese, "The first time I met him was in the changing room before a game against Gloucester during that Covid period. He was starting at 8 for us. He just looked the part."
The awe didn't stop at first impressions. Wells described Wiese's debut play: "The first time he carried the ball, it was straight from kick-off, he ran 30 metres right through the Gloucester defence. We were all just like, ‘Oh my God!’ We’d never seen this guy before. We’d never seen him play before. But we immediately knew that he was just special."
"When someone has a super strength like that, that draws attention to him,"
Wells explains. "So people are talking a lot about him in their prep, in their defence plan. So that creates space for other people. But his ability defensively is hugely dominant. He doesn’t take a backward step. Everything he does gets momentum or takes momentum away from the opposition."
As the Springboks prepare for a titanic clash against Ireland, Wiese’s role as a game-changer is more critical than ever. The Irish forwards are known for their disciplined and strategic gameplay, but Wiese’s disruptive prowess is expected to be a key factor. Wells reiterates, "He’s immensely destructive and effective. Everything he does gets momentum or takes momentum away from the opposition."
With such high stakes, Wiese’s ability to shift the dynamics on the field could very well dictate the pace and outcome of the game, making this weekend’s matchup one to watch.
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As Jasper Wiese gears up to face off against Ireland this Saturday, the Springbok No 8 is basking in high praise from Harry Wells, his former Leicester Tigers cohort. Wells, who has seen his fair share of rugby titans, rates Wiese as one of the most formidable forwards he's ever had the privilege to play alongside.
During their time together at Leicester, where they chased the elusive title, Wells witnessed firsthand the sheer impact of Wiese's gameplay. "He’s in my team because of his ball carrying ability and his tackling. He’s immensely destructive and effective," Wells shared with Rugbypass. The England lock vividly recalls his first encounter with Wiese, "The first time I met him was in the changing room before a game against Gloucester during that Covid period. He was starting at 8 for us. He just looked the part."
The awe didn't stop at first impressions. Wells described Wiese's debut play: "The first time he carried the ball, it was straight from kick-off, he ran 30 metres right through the Gloucester defence. We were all just like, ‘Oh my God!’ We’d never seen this guy before. We’d never seen him play before. But we immediately knew that he was just special."
"When someone has a super strength like that, that draws attention to him,"
Wells explains. "So people are talking a lot about him in their prep, in their defence plan. So that creates space for other people. But his ability defensively is hugely dominant. He doesn’t take a backward step. Everything he does gets momentum or takes momentum away from the opposition."As the Springboks prepare for a titanic clash against Ireland, Wiese’s role as a game-changer is more critical than ever. The Irish forwards are known for their disciplined and strategic gameplay, but Wiese’s disruptive prowess is expected to be a key factor. Wells reiterates, "He’s immensely destructive and effective. Everything he does gets momentum or takes momentum away from the opposition."
With such high stakes, Wiese’s ability to shift the dynamics on the field could very well dictate the pace and outcome of the game, making this weekend’s matchup one to watch.