Jasper Wiese admitted that he and his fellow Leicester Tigers will enjoy the win over Bristol Bears but, almost immediately, must switch their focus to the task of progressing in this season’s Heineken Champions Cup.
Tigers, who scored six tries in the bonus-point win on Saturday afternoon, welcome Edinburgh Rugby to Mattioli Woods Welford Road next Friday night and Wiese, who starred in the 22-point victory over the Bears, said it was always going to be a tough task against a quality Bristol outfit.
“It’s a good win for us, we’re happy with the result but more so the performance today across the entire 80 minutes,” said Wiese.
“We focused solely on Bristol this week and prepared well for what we knew would be a really tough battle.
“They’re a quality side; they’ve scored about a hundred points in two weeks and were prepared for the challenge of trying to stop their attack and quality players.
“It’s a very good outcome for us and we’ll enjoy it but, really, now it’s immediately on to next week and Edinburgh here at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.
Discussing the match, Wiese said there were some honest conversations during the half-time break in the home changing room about needing to take it to Bristol up front.
“We knew they would come today with a want to play and we certainly saw that with their offload game today,” he said.
“There were conversations at half time about needing to be much better, as they definitely dominated us physically in the first half today.
“I think we adapted really well and came out in the second half improved, to take it to them up front.
“We always knew it would be a fight today and so are very happy to get the win.”
On his own performance, the Leicester forward presented a typically modest front in his assessment.
“I’m just at the right place at the right time,” Wiese said.
“The guys around me create the opportunities for me to do my job and play my part in this team.
“It isn’t about any individual at Leicester Tigers, it’s about what we can do together for each other to get results and have performances that show what we are about as a group.”
While many outside the club are talking about a growing momentum from the group, Wiese shared that it is not a word used within the environment as they look to continue a daily, weekly growth.
“I think we’ve shown some incredible fight in recent weeks, especially missing the players away on international duty, and then showed it again today with their contributions,” said the Leicester back rower.
“That’s what we are about as a team and as a group; we want to go out and play for one another and want to give everything for the shirt, the supporters and ultimately for each other.
“Momentum isn’t really something we talk about, you know it is never discussed, as all we ever focus on is the next job; the training session we have that day or the game at the weekend. We don’t look any further beyond what is in front of us.”
Speaking further on the improved performances - and results - as of late, Wiese said it has come through a more focused approach to delivering 80 minute performances across the park.
“There is never a lack of effort within this group, that is never in question,” Wiese said.
“In the past few weeks, what we have done is just finish things better.
“We don’t want to ever stop playing until that final whistle blows and that’s very much the mindset here at the club, we want to play the full game and give it all for the full game.
“These past few weeks, we’ve done that better than we did at the start of the season.
“Given the table, every team has a shot this season and we need to be as desperate as we can to keep getting wins and keep giving performances that are good enough against what we expect at Leicester Tigers.”
Wiese and his fellow Tigers now turn their attention to a Heineken Champions Cup knockout fixture against Edinburgh Rugby at Mattioli Woods Welford Road in just six days.
