Why the Springboks picked Wiese over Roos at No 8 for Wales opener: 'He's a project too'

Springbok management, unlike some toddlers, aren't going to dump a "long-term project" in Jasper Wiese in favour of the shiny new toy that is the irrepressible Evan Roos.

National coach Jacques Nienaber, justifiably, on Tuesday highlighted the setup's need to keep the integrity of its selection policy intact, particularly in a series like the one against Wales, where there are expectations from various quarters that South Africa will experiment a bit more.

The 26-year-old Wiese, who'll be starting at eighthman in Saturday's first Test at Loftus, is a perfect illustration.

Despite Roos' understandable headline-grabbing heroics for the Stormers, the robust Leicester star has also elevated his game to new heights over the past six months.

Wiese's abrasive, powerful ball-carrying and tackling remain his most obvious gifts, but he's also shown newfound discipline.

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By December 2021 - just over a year after joining the Tigers from the Cheetahs - the loose forward had racked up 5 yellow cards as well as a red, a blot on the copybook that eventually led to him receiving a two-match Premiership ban for picking up three of those yellows within the first few months of the 2021/22 campaign.

That led to a serious talk from the Leicester hierarchy.

Seventeen matches and a Man of the Match award in Leicester's title-clinching victory over Saracens later, Wiese is yet to be shown a card again.

Faced with picking between two excellent prospects, Nienaber employed the obvious (and right) tie-breaker: Wiese's 11 Test caps.

"Jasper is a project, a long-term investment," said the Springbok coach.

"He's on 11 caps. When one thinks about planning for the