Jasper Wiese Reveals Tense Atmosphere on Springboks and All Blacks’ Shared Charter Flight
- Springbok No. 8 Jasper Wiese described the mood on the shared charter flight to Baltimore as far from warm between the two rival squads
- Wiese and Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus offered contrasting accounts of what unfolded at 30,000 feet on the journey from Johannesburg
- The fourth and final Test of Rugby's Greatest Rivalry is scheduled for M&T Bank Stadium on Saturday, with the series result still in the balance
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SOUTH AFRICA — Springbok No. 8 Jasper Wiese has offered a candid account of the charged atmosphere aboard the charter plane that carried both the South African and New Zealand rugby squads to Baltimore, Maryland, ahead of the fourth and final Test of Rugby's Greatest Rivalry.
Wiese, speaking to media on arrival in the United States, did not hold back when describing how little interaction took place between the two camps during the long-haul journey. The journey included a two-hour stopover in Spain before a final 10-hour leg to the USA.
Wiese and Erasmus tell different stories
"I'm not going to sugar-coat it — there wasn't a lot of conversation. Maybe I was sitting at the back of the plane, so I wasn't talking to many of them.
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"But you can imagine how they were feeling on that flight after the loss. It would have been vice versa if we were in their position," Wiese said, as reported by Rugby Pass.
His version contrasts with that of Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus, who described a more relaxed scene on board.
"The New Zealanders had their spot, and we had our spot. I saw Beauden Barrett and Siya [Kolisi] having a cool drink together and taking photos. Codie Taylor was sitting just across from me," Erasmus said.
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All Blacks face must-win final Test
The All Blacks head to Baltimore with no room for error after South Africa took a 2-1 lead in the four-Test series with a 29-24 win at FNB Stadium on 5 September. New Zealand won the opener 33-16 but have since lost in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
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Jasper Wiese expects the pressure of needing victory to be obvious when the rivals meet for the fourth time.
“You know how desperate they’re going to be in this last game. That’s something we know is coming,” the Springbok No. 8 said.
“It’s not just us who are in the competition; they are too, and I think they’re going to come out guns blazing this weekend.”
The All Blacks will also be without captain Ardie Savea after he suffered a shoulder dislocation in the third Test.
The Springboks, meanwhile, have already secured at least a drawn series and can finish 3-1 with another victory. The Baltimore match also marks the first time Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry’s fourth Test will be played in the United States, with more than 70,000 fans expected at M&T Bank Stadium.
The final Test takes place on Saturday, 12 September 2026, at M&T Bank Stadium.
Springboks’ late-Test problem comes into focus
Briefly News previously reported that the Springboks have identified a recurring issue from their first three Tests against the All Blacks ahead of Saturday’s Baltimore finale.
South Africa lead the four-Test series 2-1 after their 29-24 victory on 5 September, but New Zealand have outscored the Springboks 21-3 during the final 10 minutes across the three matches.
Rassie Erasmus wants his team to regain control when fatigue sets in, while the All Blacks face their own selection challenges after Ardie Savea’s injury and other absences.
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Source: Briefly News
