Elrich Kroutz - Klein Nederburg captain
Player Profile
Elrich Kroutz leads Klein Nederburg against New Orleans in the second successive week of big Paarl Derbies at the Faure Street Sportsground, another FNB Classic Clash.
Elrich has been playing rugby since he was 11 and at Paulus Joubert. But in Grade 8 he switched trio Klein Nederburg and there the coach moved him to loose forward, where he has stayed – a No.6 flank, short but a fetcher in the mould of Phil Waugh, Neil back and the Western Province wonder Luke Watson. Ask Elrich if he thinks Watson should be a Springbok and his excitement rises.
The move from Paulus Joubert to Klein Nederburg was for academic reasons. Klein Nederburg puts more emphasis on academic work than on rugby and, keen as he is on rugby, Elrich sees his future in academic rather than sporting progress.
Next year he hopes to start law studies at the University if the Western Cape – and he would also like to continue playing rugby and cricket. At cricket he is a medium-pace bowler in the 1st XI.
Elrich's dad played wing for Boland in SARU days and two older cousins played for Boland but none of this two sisters and two brothers have an interest in sport,. Academics is their focus.
Elrich has inherited some of his dad's speed and he is quick to the breakdown, which is why Richie McCaw is his hero. Andrew Maarman, the Klein Nederburg coach, has high regard for Elrich, saying that he is a great leader. He says: "He is a fine young man in every way – his manners, his leadership on the field and his schoolwork."
Elrich says that this has not been a great year for New Orleans as they have suffered from injuries and been without key players but everybody is back for Saturday's big occasion and he believes the side is well prepared.
Elrich knows the New Orleans team well as he was part of a combined Klein Nederburg-New Orleans team which played as an FNB Invitation XV at the St John's Easter Festival and gave an excellent account of itself. They played and won three matches, beating St John's of Johannesburg. St John's of Harare and Parktown.
Elrich believes that his team can cause an upset at Faure Street on Saturday.
