Springboks number eight Jasper Wiese is preparing to face an emotionally charged France outfit in Paris on Saturday, but said the world champions are looking forward to the challenge.<\/b><\/p>\n
The clash at the Stade France is one of the most eagerly anticipated of this year\u2019s Autumn Nations Series, as this is the first time that these sides face off since the Boks clinched a nail-biting 29-28 victory during the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-final in France.<\/p>\n
Wiese<\/a> believes the scars from that encounter are still visible in Paris and said the Springboks<\/a> will have to be at their best to get the better of Fabien Galthie\u2019s troops, who view their clash with the Boks as a grudge match.<\/p>\n \u2018It\u2019s going to be a good challenge\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cI think they are still carrying a lot of hurt, and as you can see, they have come out and said they want to avenge that defeat, so it\u2019s going to be a good challenge,\u201d he commented.<\/p>\n \u201cThey experienced genuine hurt after the World Cup, so I think we can expect them to be very emotional and up for this game.<\/p>\n \u201cIf there is one game we have to be very up for, it is this game.\u201d<\/p>\n Wiese is a vital cog in the Springboks\u2019 side and is absence was keenly felt earlier this year when the world champions suffered losses to the Wallabies in Johannesburg and All Blacks in Auckland during the Rugby Championship after he received a four-match suspension for foul play during a clash with Italy during the mid-year internationals earlier this year.<\/p>\n He made his return to action in the second Test against the All Blacks in Wellington and helped the Boks return to winning ways in that clash \u2013 after they lost to their arch rivals in the corresponding fixture at Eden Park the previous week \u2013 and also impressed in subsequent victories against Argentina (twice) and Japan last weekend.<\/p>\n Wiese expects another tough encounter against France<\/a> and believes the forward battle will be decisive in deciding the outcome.<\/p>\n