Kriel key to Lions’ success
Lions captain Jaco Kriel has been a vital component of the side’s unbeaten run to the Currie Cup final on Saturday.
|||The Lions – and their fans – will be holding thumbs captain Jaco Kriel is 100percent fit on Saturday when he’s expected to lead out his side against Western Province in this year’s Currie Cup final.
The 26-year-old hurt his groin in last weekend’s semi-final win against the Cheetahs, but his two-try performance in the tightly-contested game showed just how valuable he is to the team. In fact, he’s been a key member of Johan Ackermann’s side ever since breaking into the starting team, some three years ago.
“He’s a phenomenal player,” said Ackermann ahead of the match with the defending champions.
“You know someone is real quality when he stands out in a pretty poor performance ... and that’s what it was against the Cheetahs last weekend. Jaco still stood out, he’s got that X-factor that every coach wants. He’s a game-changer, as he showed with his two tries.”
Kriel is not only a terrier as the Lions’ openside flank, winning turn-overs at the breakdowns, but his pace and power with ball in hand in open play is what sets him apart from a bunch of quality No6’s in South African rugby.
His second five-pointer last Saturday, with his team 30-33 down with 10 minutes to play, said everything one needs to know about Kriel. The Lions counter-attacked from deep in their own half after the Cheetahs had lost the ball and after some slick handling, the flanker received the ball on the left wing and beat three defenders with his strength and speed to cross for the try. It put the Lions four points clear, lifting the team’s spirits.
It is that “leading from the front” that the Lions will most need against WP at Ellis Park. Ackermann says Kriel has grown immensely as a player and captain since taking charge of the side in regular skipper Warren Whiteley’s early-competition absence
“Jaco is a player who leads by example. He’s always been a fairly quiet guy, a player who prefers to just get on with his job, but since getting the captaincy he’s come out of his shell. He’s always been a senior member of the squad and been a great player, but because of the captaincy, he’s started to speak with authority and confidence and that’s been great for him.
“I’ve even been told by some of the referees that he truly stands out on the field as the team leader. We’re blessed now in that regard ... we’ve got fantastic leaders in Warren and Ross Cronje and even Howard Mnisi. It’s a good position to be in right now.”
Kriel was the only injury concern after the Cheetahs game, but even if the injury is a little sore, as Ackermann described it on Sunday, one can assume it won’t prevent the Lions skipper from taking his place in the team.
After all, the Lions are looking to bag their first Currie Cup title since 2011 and go through the entire campaign unbeaten. Also, it’s WP they’re up against – the same team who pipped the Lions in the 2014 final.
Ackermann will name his side tomorrow. - The Star