Upington’s Jasper Wiese is the Real Deal

It's a major irony that SouthAfrica have won two of their three World Cup finals with essentially makeshift No 8s.

Let it be said that MarkAndrews (1995) and Danie Rossouw (2007) performed with suitable aplomb in each instance, but they were still largely "locks at the back of the scrum", weren’t they?

Broadly speaking, though, modern-era Springbok rugbyand often before that, too - has been healthily stocked with quality specialists in the key decisionmaking position, including 2019 RWC winner and player of the match in the final Duane Vermeulen.

I strongly sense that the gnarly Vermeulen is building a solid head of steam now as only months lie ahead to the defence of the Webb Ellis Cup in France.This 36-yearold, who has seen and largely done it all, knows exactly how to time a run ... and it is being helped by Ulster’s prudent use of him.

I fancy he will only NOTmake the RWC cut if injury intervenes; his multipronged value needs no further explanation here.

But Sunday, watching Leicester Tigers' important 24-18 victory over Premiership leaders Saracens at Welford Road, also dished up more notice that Jasper Wiese isn’t intending to simply help make up squad numbers during the massive international season ahead.

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Remember, he might be considered theTest incumbent at eight, considering that he began end-of-yearTests against Ireland and Italy, before being ruled out of the final match against England atTwickenham because of out-of-window considerations.

It enabled a pleasingly livewire, major opportunity for young Evan Roos (Vermeulen was rested for the entire tour, seemingly with longer-term goals in mind) which was a further example of Bok blessings in the position.

But Wiese had also done enough during 2022thunderous performances toward the back end of the Rugby Championship - to almost certainly book his own ticket to the French-hosted jamboree later this year

He was at in again in the weekend’s key home outing for theTigers, arguably only deprived of the "best player" mantle by an emotion-influenced decision to give it to veteran, debut-making former England fullback Mike Brown (released by Harlequins in 2021).

Apart from showing phenomenal stamina and manic work-rate on the heavy pitch and being a trademark, formidable physical presence - something that is a treasured part of the Bok forward DNA- Wiese also set the ball rolling early for the result with a spectacular rampage from the halfway line that led to a try for compatriot Handre Pollard.

Television commentators mentioned afterwards that his showing was simply an extension of recent ones for Leicester by the stocky, nononsense 27-year-old from Upington.

Aday earlier, another rising candidate for regular Bok callups, Elrigh Louw, was one of the more sterling sources of goforward for a Bulls side who really should - considering their possession and territorial dominance - have seen off the Stormers (magnificently composed and cerebral though they undoubtedly are) in the north-south URC derby at Loftus.

No 8 won’t be serving up a paucity of options to Jacques Nienaber this year