https://www.sarugbymag.co.za/reports-stormers-lose-another-lock/
Is Cobus Wiese a blg loss? is he a future Bok?
Is Cobus Wiese a blg loss? is he a future Bok?
https://www.sarugbymag.co.za/reports-stormers-lose-another-lock/
Is Cobus Wiese a blg loss? is he a future Bok?
Damn shame if we do lose him. TBF we have a ton of quality loose forwards (I see him as a big 7/8 rather than a 'small' lock) personally. Kolisi and PSDT are the two encumbants for the Stormers in the backrow and Etzebeth has the #4 lock sewn up. If he plays lock he is not a line-out lock and we have Shickerling there. So its a straight shoot out for #8 between Wiese, Jaco Coetzee, Juarno Augustus, Ernst van Rhyn and Kobus van Dyk. Notshe has also moved on but we won't miss him.
Granted, that is a hell of a lot of competition and quality competition but I have him as close to top of that pack. Coetzee and Van Rhyn probably have the better shot at specifically #8 but of the lot I see Wiese as being the best shot for test rugby long term alongside maybe Coetzee though they are different types of players. I see Wiese as a PSDT mark 2. Possibly a little more nimble than PSDT while being as huge.
So to answer the OP:
Is he a big loss: Yes
Is he a future Bok: Probably no now since he is moving on before making a name. There is too much quality in the lock/blindside dept at home for him to get a cap if he moves off before properly staking his claim first I'd imagine. If he stays I can see him as our future blindside for sure. But him moving off now possibly another Braam Steyn- quality young SA loosie playing against us. We can afford to lose these players but it does irk me.
EDIT: Just saw that Dobson says he will stay on. trust and hope that is the case. He'll get his game time. I am sure Etzebeth, PSDT and Kolisi will see a lot of rest. Hope to see Wiese and Coetzee get the lion's share of the available time.
EDIT again: OOOAARgh, I see Etzebeth is also pushing off. Now I really hope Wiese will stay on. We'll probably see him at lock. PSDT might also play at lock for us.
Why would you play PSDT, the World Player of the year at lock when he's so valuable at flanker?? Stormers have Shickerling as well as Van Zyl and Moerat who are all very capable locks. I think PSDT should only be considered to play there should the other guys get injured and you have no other viable replacement left.
SR is much faster/open/loose than test rugby. PSDT's size is an asset in test rugby but he looks cumbersome in SR. The Stormers also have much more depth in quality in the loose forwards than at lock. I get where you are coming from but horses for courses and personally I'd prefer whats best for the Stormers- which I think is reasonable. At least the Stormers have managed to retain the bulk of our Bokke - we should get some benefit from them. Damian Willemse is another player where he gets played out of position at SR to accommodate the Bokke.
I am all for PSDT on the flanks for the Bokke.
I still feel for the Stormers' benefit, not necessarily PSDT's benefit he would be most valuable in the locks. I don't question PSDT's fitness. I question his speed off the mark. But, I will concede that this is splitting hairs and I suppose we'll see soon enough. The window is still open to recruit so it might even be that we lose some talent in the LFs and get more in at lock which would totally nullify a large part of my reasoning. I suppose this speculation is just to get us past the vacation and lead up to SR.