Video: Kriel backs SA's SANZAAR exodus
WATCH as one of Gloucester’s latest imports, Springbok Jaco Kriel, explains why the way to go for South African teams is to join European competitions.
The 11-times capped, 29-year-old flank – who missed the last Super Rugby season due to a shoulder injury – spoke to rugby365‘s partner RugbyPass at the launch of the Premiership.
Kriel is well known to Gloucester coach Johan Ackermann, from their time together at the Lions and continues a South African take-over of Gloucester – as the coach looks to build some solid foundations from which to launch his attack on the top half of the Premiership.
Other South Africans at the club include Ruan Dreyer, Gerbrandt Grobler, Franco Marais and Ruan Ackermann.
While the English top flight is handing him an opportunity, Kriel was asked whether he believes other South African franchises should follow the Cheetahs and the Kings in looking at Europe and the Pro14 to play their rugby.
“Yes definitely,” Kriel said, adding: “I’m a big supporter of that [more SA teams heading to Europe].
“I believe it created good opportunities for the Cheetahs and the Kings.
“Although the Kings didn’t do so well, it’s still good opportunities for the players to be noticed at a high level of rugby.
“I believe in the near future it’ll be the path to go for some of the bigger unions, to make the travelling easier.
“In Super Rugby, to travel to New Zealand, Australia, Argentina and Japan – as a professional athlete, that just makes it difficult.
“If you travel here [Europe], it’s just a one- or two-hour time difference and you test yourself on a whole different level of the weather, pitches and rugby, so I believe it’s the way forward.”
Having only been in the UK for a couple of weeks, he told RugbyPass that the media storm around teammate Danny Cipriani took him by surprise.
“It was actually scary to see it, to be part of it with him being a teammate of ours. Back in South Africa, you don’t get that kind of hype in the media about a guy. I actually feel sorry for him because he can put no foot wrong without anybody knowing about it.
“Everybody in life makes mistakes whatever they do. If he wasn’t a professional rugby player, everything would have been fine. The team is there for him, we’re supporting him as much as we can, he’s one of us,” she said.
Kriel commented on his own meeting with the troubled flyhalf: “I love Danny, he’s always interesting to chat to. His rugby knowledge is amazing. Every time we have a chat about something, he says we can be amazing at that or amazing at this. I enjoy him as a person and his views on things I enjoy.”
By Nick Heath, RugbyPass
