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Springboks question Wiese hearing delay compared to Barrett

(Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

Springboks boss Jacques Nienaber has questioned why there was a delay in the holding of the disciplinary hearing for his cited back-rower Jasper Wiese, unlike some weeks ago when the red-carded All Blacks full-back Jordie Barrett had his case heard on a Monday in Australia. The South Africans were under the impression that any hearing arising from last Saturday’s defeat to the Wallabies would take place by 17:00 on Monday. 

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This was what happened earlier this September when Barrett was red-carded during the All Blacks’ win over Australia in Perth. His hearing took place on a Monday evening, a top-of-the-week timing that ensured the New Zealander had time to go training with his team prior to the following weekend’s XV selection versus Argentina. 

However, the situation unfolded differently this week for Wiese following his citing for a ruck clear-out on Samu Kerevi. He was yellow-carded at the time by referee Matthew Carley for the foul play but it was later decided by the citing commissioner that the offence met the red card threshold for a citing.

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How the Springboks can bounce back this weekend against the All Blacks

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How the Springboks can bounce back this weekend against the All Blacks

All the various time cut-off points for making the citing were met by the officials, but the Springboks were left unhappy that the delay in holding the hearing meant that Wiese – after getting cleared of the charge – wasn’t able to figure in the team selection plans to face the All Blacks in Townsville.

Nienaber had announced his XV at 19:00 on Tuesday in Australia, an unveiling that came too soon for Wiese who only had his name cleared later that night which was too late for him to vie for selection in a team where he was chosen as a back-rower replacement in recent weeks. 

With Wiese’s availability uncertain, Nienaber made two changes to his starting XV and reconfigured the Springboks bench, the omission of Wiese resulting in a five forwards/three backs split getting selected rather than the usual six/two balance. “Jasper is only having his hearing tonight [Tuesday]. According to the timeline, it should have happened yesterday [Monday], but for reasons not in our control it could only happen tonight so he wasn’t up for selection,” rued Nienaber at a media briefing prior to the Wiese hearing result.

“He was cited within the correct time. The issue was the timeline. The judicial process timeline normally comes out on a Friday before the Test match so let’s say listen if there is a citing, it must happen before this time and the team must be notified before this time. If you plead guilty or not it must happen before this time, and then the hearing must happen before this time, so there is a whole timeframe that should be met. 

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“Everything happened according to the timeframe as they put out in that process on Friday except unlike with the Barrett incident – he got his hearing on the Monday at 5 o’clock, 17:00 hours. Our hearing should have been Monday 17:00 so that if the player then gets found not guilty he is still up for selection for Saturday but for some reason the people who sit in the judicial committee weren’t available at 17:00 on Monday so the hearing only happens today [Tuesday]. 

“We have got one (more) training before we play the Test match, one training and then a captain’s practice, so it just made it impossible for us to select Jasper. I’m not 100 per cent sure why the timelines weren’t met (for the Springboks) and it was met when they had the same incident two weeks ago when Australia played against New Zealand. I’m sure Sanzaar will come back to us on that.”

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R
RedWarrior 31 minutes ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

1 Go to comments
G
GS 1 hour ago
Are the All Blacks doomed to a 70% flatline?

The key is realising this AB side is not what they are now but what they will be in 2025/26.


You can already see a Power bench forming, and I would highlight that people watch the AB XV game vs Munster and watch Fabian Holland - he, in the next 24 months, will be WC and bring some huge physicality to the team.


Then, aligned with Peter Lakai, probably at 7, another WC talent, the AB pack by 2026 will probably both be starting and on the bench - be rated as No 1 or 2 packs in the world.


Then, there is the usual WC talent around the backline, and the missing link is Mo'unga. Unlike in last year's WC, the coming forward pack for the ABs, is similar to the Bok pack, It will be packed full of power, and the key to this is a realitively young pack.


So I think we will lose to Ireland and France in the coming weeks, but watch out as this pack builds into - I mean, look at the tight five and loose forwards that are coming for the ABs - De Groot, Lomax, Williams, Tosi, Taylor, Ofa T, Samson T, Aumua, Patrick T, Barrett, Vai, Fabian H, Setiti, Lakai, Savea, Frizzell (understand they are attempting to get him and Mo'unga back), Blackadder, Papalii and bar Barrett, Savea, Patrick T, Taylor - pretty young in international terms.


Huge front row starting and on bench, Power locks and usual class in loose forwards - only missing ingredient is a WC 10 and with Mo'unga back probably in 2026, these ABs are trending in a very healthy direction.

89 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit
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