VIDEO: Neck surgery put Bok's Test season in doubt
Japan Rugby League One side D-Rocks has been rocked by the news that their Springbok loose forward Jasper Wiese has been ruled out of the rest of the competition due to injury.
Wiese suffered a neck injury whilst on duty for D-Rocks against the Eagles this past weekend and confirmed the unfortunate news on the social media platform X.
The No.8 has since returned to South Africa to undergo a neck operation.
The extent of the injury is still unknown at this stage.
“Hi to all the D-Rocks fans. I hope everyone is well. I just wanted to say that I had to come back to South Africa to get an operation on my neck,” Wiese said.
“Unfortunately, I won’t be able to play again this season, but please, your support means the world to us.
“Please keep on supporting the team. I appreciate it and for the team all the best for the season. Thank you.”
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【本人コメント】… https://t.co/YlafE7Ikfc pic.twitter.com/NijSxRqCaF
— 浦安D-Rocks (@UrayasuDRocks) April 10, 2025
Brave Lupus Tokyo might currently put the wind up most of their opponents in JRLO, but if there is one side who won’t intimidated, it’s BlueRevs, who visit the league leaders on Saturday.
Although they are without their talisman skipper Kwagga Smith, with the Springbok loose forward sitting this one out, the BlueRevs arrive in the capital fresh off a comprehensive demolition of Sagamihara Dynaboars and boasting the belief that beating previous title-winners Brave Lupus and Wild Knights provides.
BlueRevs’ victory over Brave Lupus in January, which was achieved despite the concession of a converted try in just the third minute, was a testament to the work done by second-season coach Yuichiro Fujii to transform the previously mid-table outfit – who had finished eighth in each of the competition’s first three editions – into genuine title contenders.
Even without their regular captain – those duties will be handled by dual international Charles Piutau – BlueRevs won’t back down with the newfound confidence highlighted by the transformation of their outcomes in close contests.
After losing 14 of their 48 matches across the first three editions of League One by margins of 10 points or less, the BlueRevs have featured in eight such games this season and won seven of them.
This includes the 34-28 win over Brave Lupus, with the magnitude of that success such that it is the only defeat the defending champions have suffered in their last 23 matches.
Brave Lupus shredded fifth-placed Kobe Steelers’ defence to pieces during Sunday’s remarkable 11-try romp – their most tries in a League One match.
While achieving a 73-28 scoreline against a side with their own championship ambitions will have provided satisfaction, the level of experience amongst Brave Lupus’ leadership group should ensure Todd Blackadder’s men don’t relax.
Veteran Brave Blossoms leader Michael Leitch has shown his thirst for another title by completing 34 more tackles than any other player in the league, while All Black flyhalf Richie Mo’unga is also inspiring his teammates, last week gaining a competition high 190 run metres with ball in hand.
Spears Tokyo-Bay look to be one of Brave Lupus’ biggest threats, but Frans Ludeke’s third-placed outfit are a more immediate concern for Tokyo Sungoliath after the latter entered the top six for the first time following last weekend’s high-scoring win over Mie Heat.
After having had to wait 15 games for a first ever win over Sungoliath two seasons ago, the Spears backed up their initial success on the opening day of the league’s second edition with two more victories enroute to their maiden national title.
The Spears have now lost just once in their last six against Sungoliath and couldn’t have been any more impressive in their recent demolition of Black Rams Tokyo, who were denied any points for the opening 50 minutes.
After back-to-back wins in mid-March, last weekend’s 8-38 loss to the BlueRevs has most likely ruled out any hopes the eighth-placed Sagamihara Dynaboars had of contesting the play-offs.
Dynaboars will be without the injured Springbok star Kurt-Lee Arendse on Saturday as they host an Eagles outfit that ranks one point below Sungoliath despite last week’s drought-breaking 33-22 win over D-Rocks, which ended a run of four straight defeats.
While each of the Dynaboars and ninth-placed Black Rams Tokyo – both nine points from the play-offs positions – still have a mathematical pathway to the top six, their biggest priority will be to avoid being dragged into the fight to avoid the Replacement Battle, being just four points above 11th place.
Black Rams were unable to get close to the Spears but could close the door on any relegation concerns during Sunday’s meeting with tenth-placed Verblitz, but that is going to require a major shift in the historical balance of power between the two as the Black Rams have lost 17 of their last 19 games.
Although Steve Hansen’s men are playing better than their current ranking suggests, they still give off the appearance of counting down the days until a disappointing campaign ends.
A red card contributed to their ninth loss in a row against the Wild Knights with the game, in some ways, a reflection of the season, in so much as that some of the damage has been self-inflicted.
This includes the league’s worst goal-kicking success rate as well as the sanction of nine yellow cards and a red from 14 matches.
Verblitz are two points above the promotion/relegation positions, with the second held by Mie Heat who open the round Friday night against the Wild Knights.
Ex-Italy coach Kieran Crowley’s men have lost their last five and face a tall order arresting the slide against Wild Knights, even though the league’s maiden champions are dealing with an injury count which will see just seven of their starting line-up from the opening day win over Sungoliath suit up against Heat.
Injured pride rather than injured bodies is the biggest issue for Kobe coach Dave Rennie after their disastrous performance last weekend, but while the defeat didn’t loosen their grip on fifth, it has given added significance to what otherwise might have been considered a routine afternoon’s work against D-Rocks.
The former Wallaby boss will be hoping the return of his captain, lock Brodie Retallick, can spark the side, although they have essentially ‘swapped’ All Blacks, with midfielder Ngane Laumape not featuring.
While last week’s return of Israel Folau didn’t have the desired effect as far as the win column was concerned, D-Rocks star man should be better for his first workout since early January and will be looking to build on that 60-minute appearance to create mischief for Kobe alongside his ex-test teammate Samu Kerevi.
The Wallaby midfield back is one of the form players of the competition, having scored seven tries in his last six outings.
Watch the highly acclaimed five-part documentary Chasing the Sun 2, chronicling the journey of the Springboks as they strive to successfully defend the Rugby World Cup, free on RugbyPass TV (*unavailable in Africa)
