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Video: Springbok Kriel struck by 'scary' treatment of Cipriani
By Nick Heath
One of Gloucester's latest arrivals is 29-year-old Jaco Kriel. The 11-times capped South African flanker missed the last Super Rugby season due to a shoulder injury but is well known to head coach Johan Ackermann from their time together at the Golden Lions. 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 fly-half, "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."
Kriel continues a South African take-over of Gloucester as Ackermann looks to build some solid foundations from which to launch his attack on the top half of the Premiership. 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 to Europe and the Pro14 to play their rugby.
Kriel said, "Yes definitely, I'm a big supporter of those. 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, it's just an 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. "
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Latest Comments
John, McKenzie was 10 years ago and he only lasted 15 months until the disgustingly unfair affair that brought him down. I thought that if he didn't get another gig over Eddie V2 then he was done. I read that he had been approached but declined to put his name in the ring.
There are no potential Wallaby coaches outside of McKellar unless you have some inside info?
Go to commentsThe way they are defending is sometime pathetic to be honest. Itoje is usually on the inside of the rush and he is paired with a slower tight forward. Unable to keep up with the rush we have seen the line become disconnected on the inside where the big boys are. How many times have we seen Earl rush past the first receiver almost into no mans land covering no attacker. It looks like a system without any guidance. Tome Wright, Ikitau and a number of Wallabies went back to this soft centre as did Williams, Jordan and several others. Also when the line is broken the multiple lines of defence seems to be missing. The rush is predicated on a cover and recovery system with multiple lines of defence but with England you dont see it any more. Fitness and conditioning seems to be off as well as players are struggling to keep up with the intensity of the rush. Felix Jones has left a huge hole. The whole situation was and is a mess. Why they insist on not letting him go and having him work remotely is beyond me. Its leading to massive negative press and is a hot button issue thats distracting from the squad. Also the communication around Jones and his role has been absolute rubbish and is totally disjointed. While some say he is working remotely and playing a role others are saying theres been no contact. His role has not been defined and so people keep asking and keep getting different answers. England need a clean break from him and need to start over. Whatever reason for his leaving its time to cut the rope before the saga drags the whole Borthwick regime down. As for Joe El Abd well good luck to him. He is being made to look like an amateur by the whole saga and he is being asked to coach a system thats not his and which has been perfected and honed since 2017 by Nienaber, Jones, Erasmus and Co and which was first started by White in 2004. He is literally trying to figure out a system pioneered by double world cup winning coaches at the highest level and coach it at the same time. Talk about being on a hiding to nothing.
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