Former All Black James Parsons reckons the Springboks have unearthed their next forward star, while another newcomer also earned praise despite mixed reviews.
Lock Cobus Wiese has emerged as one of the standout Boks of the Nations Championship, according to the former New Zealand hooker.
Speaking on the Aotearoa Rugby Pod, Parsons rated Wiese above the likes of Pieter-Steph du Toit, Damian Willemse and Wiese’s older brother, Jasper, after the mid-year Test competition.
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“To me, it’s the other Wiese. Cobus Wiese is like a gazelle, he’s an athlete and then a brute. You sort of think of Eben Etzebeth and go, ‘where’s that guy?’ This guy is the guy,” Parsons said.
Flanker Paul de Villiers, who debuted then started all three Nations Championship Tests against England, Scotland and Wales in July, also featured prominently in the discussion. Ex-Maori All Blacks scrumhalf Bryn Hall was impressed with the 23-year-old’s breakdown work.
“Very good around the breakdown,” Hall said. “Obviously, when it comes to that loose forward trio with that kind of build they’ve been able to do that and it’s another one, they just come through the factory.”
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Parsons, though, wasn’t fully convinced, pointing to De Villiers’ work rate spilling into over-involvement.
“He had 23 touches, 18 carries and the next person was eight or nine, and he had five handling errors,” he said. “Hungry to get into it, but if you become that Test match player, it’s just picking your time.
“Malcolm Marx had one carry; we need Malcolm. There are a lot of weapons in there and it can become predictable to defend.
“There will always be that settling out phase. He hasn’t impressed me as much as Wiese.”
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
The post ‘Cobus Wiese is like a gazelle’ appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Former All Black James Parsons reckons the Springboks have unearthed their next forward star, while another newcomer also earned praise despite mixed reviews.
The post ‘Cobus Wiese is like a gazelle’ appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
