Kriel: Lions can bounce back
KRIEL: THE LIONS HAVE THE ABILITY TO BOUNCE BACK
The former Lions skipper says the possibility of assuming a leadership role had been discussed.
The Lions have it in their DNA to bounce back from last week’s loss to the Jaguares, returning flank and former captain Jaco Kriel believes.
“I think it’s good for the team to have experienced that, especially for the lot of youngsters,” Kriel said, following the side’s 38-8 defeat in their Super Rugby season opener in Buenos Aires.
“It’s not good to kick your campaign off with a loss but we also don’t have a good track record over there.
“In my last season it was one of the only games we lost over there.”
Kriel, back from a stint at Gloucester, was not set to be part of the mix in this week’s first home game against the Reds, after undergoing an ankle operation in December.
He was, however, expected to return in March or April.
When he had talked to the Lions about coming back, however, Kriel said a leadership role had been discussed.
“I first wanted to get settled back in and I believe I must first earn the respect back before we can talk about the captaincy,” he said.
“But being back here is great. I missed the food the most.”
While he did not regret spending some time in the UK, Kriel said it was great to see old mates like Courtnall Skosan, Elton Jantjies and Warren Whiteley.
“I still need to chat with Warren. At my farewell he promised me we would play together again one day, and now he is coaching.
“But it is great to see him again, as well as Julian Redelinghuys and Andries Coetzee who is my best mate.”
As a former Bok player, Kriel said the yearning to represent the country would never go away.
“When you are there you don’t realise how fortunate you are and it’s only when you are injured or overlooked that you realise how special it really is.”
Kriel had spoken to former Lions coach Johan Ackermann at Gloucester about coming back and revealed that there were no hard feelings.
“We had a long chat about it and I just told him ‘coach I have to go where I am happy’, and he just said we will be lifelong friends, and if it’s at the Lions where I want to be then he will let me go.
“My chief reasons for coming back are that I really missed my dad, my family and the Lions.”