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Watch: Great day turns ugly as Springbok Jesse Kriel has nasty head clash in match-winning performance
By Sam Smith
Springbok centre Jesse Kriel has inspired his Canon Eagles side to a 40-32 win over Yamaha Jubilo in the latest round of the Japan Top League, but a gruesome injury soured his day somewhat.
Two second half tries by Kriel kept his side in the hunt as they looked to get their first win of the season after three opening losses to keep their season hopes alive.
The first try came on a wrap around play which saw the centre juggle a pass before regathering to score in the corner with an outstretched hand. The put down was on a tightrope with Kriel's legs narrowly missing touch as he powered over in a two-man tackle.
The second try was a well-worked set-piece move which saw Kriel recieve the last pass to score directly under the posts after an inside ball to Canon winger and fellow South African SP Marias.
It wasn't all great news for Kriel, who was involved in an ugly head clash with Australian flyhalf Sam Greene which left the Springbok with a monster cut above his left eye.
In a photo shared by Kriel after the match with the caption 'winners are grinners', up to seven staples are seen on a makeshift stitch-up of the gruesome cut.
Kriel's two-try performance moved his season tally to three, which is one behind Springbok teammate Malcolm Marx at NTT Shining Arcs and equal with Willie Le Roux at Toyota Verblitz.
Watch: Jesse Kriel's two tries for Canon against Yamaha below.
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Latest Comments
Thanks for bringing up Umaga-Jensen, another positional specialist, who’s been slept on. Why not give him a trial against Tier 2 opposition … I will never understand this. He’s proven time and again at super rugby level, that he’s got what it takes.
Go to commentsNZ is a mmp democracy and parliament sets law whether Perenara likes it or not, inserting his political bias into the Allblacks haka is silly, of course the entire team doesn't agree with him. The haka is a national icon that doesn't need Perenara or any Allblack making it divisive. Tepati of course is about 2 percent of the vote. Nobody wants to eradicate Maori, the Act leader is of course part Maori.
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