Am vs Kriel: Who’s the king?
● Johan “Rassie” Erasmus’s first test is little more than a month away. but most of the problem positions in his Springbok rugby squad have sorted themselves out.
If there’s a position that’s generated much excitement, it’s the outside-centre berth.
Jesse Kriel and Lukhanyo Am are candidates whose credentials can’t be ignored. Former Springbok sevens player and Lions centre Mac Masina has seen more than enough of them this season to understand the selection headache Erasmus will have.
Kriel’s development under Mitchell
“In defence I think he’s been improving, but under John Mitchell, Kriel’s been well coached,” Masina said. “When you’re defending at outside centre, guys who’ve played in the position will tell you about the complexities of not only defending that channel, but marshalling the whole defensive effort. What makes it tough is not the spot-tackling but the multiple running lines means you have to read the game very well.”
Masina has been impressed with Kriel’s improved passing game, which until this season was virtually nonexistent.
“They’ve worked very hard on Jesse’s passing and people think once you play elite rugby you know how to pass. There’s been a few games where he could have put players on his outside into space. People expect players do know these things at the highest level, but if you haven’t done it regularly you don’t have the basis for the skill.”
Am’s carrying the Sharks
In what has been a wildly fluctuating season for the Sharks, Am has been consistent whereas his teammates haven’t always matched it.
Masina noted this, along with Am’s rugby intelligence that has come to the fore whenever the Sharks have got their multi-phase game flowing on the odd occasions.
“If you look at Am, he’s playing well in a Sharks team that’s not always firing on all cylinders. I think that tells you everything you need to know about the player,” Masina said.
“Am’s rounded in a sense that he can do the inside-centre hard yards and also do damage in the wider channels as a 13.
“He’s played at 12 and his versatility is evident in his game management and feel for the game.
Am’s the type of player where you see something can happen when he has the ball, and that’s not something that can be coached.
“Without Am, the likes of S’busiso Nkosi and Makazole Mapimpi and the rest of the Sharks’ outside backs wouldn’t be shining,” Masina said.
England pose a different attacking and defensive threat, but their directness has been refined by coach Eddie Jones.
“[Kriel and Am have] done well for the country when asked to and they’re different operators within their positions from an attacking and defensive perspective.
“It’s going to be a case of which centre does Erasmus prefer and the type of attacking plan used,” Masina said.