VIDEO: New Eagles skipper Kriel seeks Bok blueprint

SPOTLIGHT: Jesse Kriel says he’s keen to apply what he’s learned from the Springboks’ senior leaders when he returns to Japan, as he hopes to mirror the success he’s had in the green and gold at the struggling Eagles.

Kriel’s Japanese club suffered 12 losses in a disappointing campaign, which saw them finish four short of the 10 wins they had recorded in each of League One’s first three seasons, which was twice good enough to reach the semifinals.

The Japan Rugby League One roars back into action this weekend with the fifth edition of the competition.

Kriel is in his seventh season with the team and will captain them for the first time, making Eagles history as the first foreign player to serve as captain.

The 31-year-old, who joined the club in 2020, has made 56 League One appearances and is taking over the armband from former Japan international and his midfield partner, Yusuke Kajimura.

📸JERSEY SHOOT｜JESSE Kriel

今シーズン、キャプテンを務めるジェシー・クリエル。
Today, Jesse stepped in for his official jersey shoot of the season🔥#ジェシークリエル #JesseKriel#Captain https://t.co/RzujathiJn pic.twitter.com/W1zou3PJ4B

— 横浜キヤノンイーグルス (@Canon_Eagles) December 3, 2025

The double World Cup winner scored nine tries in 16 appearances last season as the Eagles underperformed, missing the play-offs with an eighth-place finish.

The side, which also includes Springbok scrumhalf Faf de Klerk, will have a new head coach in the form of former All Black assistant and Blues coach, and consultant at Western Force, Leon MacDonald.

As a player in Japan, he had stints with Yamaha (now Shizuoka Blue Revs) and Hanazono Kintetsu Liners.

He will have to rebuild, as nine players left at the end of last season, and nearly as many staff members.

The side confirmed a host of new signings for the season, including Dino Lamb, who has represented Italy.

Having spent years in the Springbok leadership group – even without the captain’s armband – the veteran centre says he has been fortunate to learn from outstanding leaders such as Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Handré Pollard and Duane Vermeulen.

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Being captain is nothing new to the centre, who captained the Springboks for the first time against the Barbarians in June 2025, a role he took over due to a niggle with Siya Kolisi.

He then became South Africa’s 67th Test captain when he led the Springboks against Italy at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria and continued in the role agains the All Blacks at Eden Park in September 2025.

Kriel spoke to Rugby365 after the Springboks outplayed Ireland by 24-13 in Dublin last month in his last outing for the Boks for the year, which meant he would not face Wales at the Principality Stadium a week later.

“Missing out on any Springbok opportunity is not nice, but obviously out of the window [test period], and it’s out of our control,” Kriel stated.

“I’ve got a full season ahead [in Japan] so I’m excited to get back there,” adding that the captaincy was ‘a new role’ for him.

“I’ve had leadership responsibilities here at the Springboks for quite a few years, not necessarily as captain.

“But I’ve been very lucky to have unbelievable leaders here at the Springboks in guys like Siya [Kolisi] and Eben [Etzebeth], Handre [Pollard] and Duane [Vermeulen] – I can carry on naming the guys.

“I’ve got a good base to work from with what I think works and what doesn’t work.

“So I’ll go back to my club and apply what I’ve learned and hopefully bring similar success to what we’ve had here at the Springboks.

“It’s something I look forward to and just to grow as a person and a leader.”