Kriel light in Bulls’ dark season
IN a Bulls season mired in incompetence and riches steadily flushed down the drain, fullback Jesse Kriel emerged as one of the few players whose reputation grew during Super Rugby.
The story of Kriel’s season was certainly one of a rose rising prosperously from the concrete, if you consider the Bulls’ failure to reach the playoffs, their shocking win-less Australasian tour and coach Frans Ludeke abandoning ship.
Now, talk of Kriel being included in Heyneke Meyer’s 31-man World Cup squad in August is fast gaining momentum around the country.
There is certainly an opportunity to test his aptitude under pressure when the international window reopens next month. Friendlies against a World XV and Argentina in Buenos Aires will sandwich the three Rugby Championship matches before the World Cup begins.
The 21-year-old admitted he had his eye on a seat on the plane to the UK in September.
“I want to go to greater heights and one of my big goals is to become a Springbok and I want to win a World Cup,” Kriel said.
For a fresh-faced rookie, he is not short of ambition. Also, he knows what it will take to get there. “I’m not afraid to work hard. I enjoy training and I want to become better and I want to become the best in the world. I’m at a union that allows me to express myself. I think it is possible to get a Springbok cap this year.
“Should I get the Springbok opportunity, I’m going to go in there to learn from guys like Bryan Habana, Willie le Roux, Jean de Villiers and all the guys who have played for the Springboks and those who have played more than 100 tests.
“I want to be surrounded by the best, and that is how you learn.”
It would be a gamble for Meyer to include him but Kriel has given no indication that he would let the national team down, even though his role would be understudy to incumbent Le Roux.
And he has World Cup-winner Chester Williams on his side.
Williams said: “Just think of the circumstances under which Kriel played for the Bulls. He has done really well. He can kick and can run the ball. That, for me, is the one player who stands out as a youngster screaming for World Cup inclusion.”
Some of the moments of the Bulls’ season that fans would not mind replaying involved Kriel breaking through defences on the counter, with roadrunner Francois Hougaard eagerly receiving the pass on the outside for a splendid try.
They scythed down the Crusaders at Loftus with that trick and there was optimism that that bravura performance would lead them into the playoffs. Then they hit an iceberg overseas.
“Frans told me to back myself at the beginning of the season and he told me what he thought made me special,” Kriel said. “I was very lucky to get my opportunity very early. I think I had a decent season and I learnt a lot.
“I’ve always been an attacking player. In pre-season we spoke a lot about having an all-round game. Bjorn Basson and Hougaard both like to attack and the three of us really enjoyed counter-attacking and running at teams, giving them something different.”