Though Wiese said he was pinching himself being able to play with these World Cup winners, he was confident in his role in the team.
Cobus Wiese (right) says he has been picking the brain of his vastly more experienced teamate, Eben Etzebeth (left), and others. Picture: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images
Though he has played with them at franchise level before, Cobus Wiese said he was still sometimes pinching himself to be playing on the same field as fellow Springbok locks Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager.
Wiese will be the second-least capped South African to line up against Argentina in their one-off Test in Buenos Aires on Saturday, having just four caps.
He and Ben-Jason Dixon are among the nine Springbok players with 10 or fewer Tests under their belts.
The pair are set to replace Etzebeth and De Jager, who have 141 and 73 caps respectively.
‘It can probably seem intimidating’
“Coming into the team as a new player under 10 caps, it can probably seem intimidating,” Wiese said on Wednesday
“But you’ve got world-class players that I have played with beforehand. I’ve played with Eben at the Stormers early in my career, and then played with Lood [at Sale Sharks] in England.”
Wiese said he wouldn’t say he feels comfortable playing Test rugby yet. But he understands his role in the team. “So I feel good,” he said.
“If you can pick their brains in preparation, then on Saturday you just go out and express yourself because you have belief and faith in the preparation.”
Wiese will replace De Jager at 5 lock and call the lineouts. This could be early in the second half as coach Rassie Erasmus manages the return from injury of Etzebeth (concussion) and De Jager (hip surgery) – each has only played one match in 2026.
Wiese picks Pieter-Steph du Toit’s brain
In the build-up to Wiese’s Test debut last year, he humbly reflected on comparisons between him and fellow utility forward Pieter-Steph du Toit, saying he could never fill the shoes of the double World Rugby Player of the Year, but would be privileged to follow after him.
“When he says something, you tend to listen a bit closer. He’s been through probably every situation in rugby,” Wiese added on Wednesday.
“But it’s the same as the other experienced players around you. You pick their brains. Most of the time, they are the ones helping you to get better.
“I’m pinching myself that I’m playing with world-class players, and I just try to follow the example.”
