VIDEO: 'Jaco Kriel - the kind of guy you want in your team'
INTERVIEW: The final curtain is about to fall on the career of one of the legends of the Lions team.
Jaco Kriel is likely to run out for the final time when they face Zebre at Loftus Versfeld this weekend.
The 11-times capped Springbok flank has been an integral part of the Lions since his career started back in 2008.
This past Saturday Kriel played his final home game for the union - in their heartbreaking 36-39 United Rugby Championship loss to Leinster.
Throughout his life, the well-loved loose forward has touched peoples’ hearts with his passion for rugby and life.
During the post-match press conference coach Ivan van Rooyen and captain Marius Louw paid homage to the man whose career has been marked by breaking records, winning awards and scoring tries - but also one that was hampered by injuries.
“Fifteen years ago Jaco was a scrawny 19-year-old running around here [at Ellis Park] and I was fortunate to see him develop into the man he has become on and off the field. He has had an enormously tough life,” Van Rooyen said.
At the weekend Kriel again put in a gigantic effort in his last 80 minutes on the hallowed turf of Ellis Park, where he made most of his rugby memories.
(Article continues below the Ivan van Rooyen and Marius Louw interview ...)
“To see the product he put out tonight for a full 80, even with very sore knees and age slightly against him, just shows exactly who Jaco Kriel is. He is probably one of the toughest men I have ever met in my life, and probably one of the best teammates I have ever worked with.
“When it is really tough, Jaco is the kind of player you want in your team. His career has come full circle,” Van Rooyen added.
At the end of 2015 he was crowned Lions Player of the Year, Players’ Player of the Year and the Supporters Player of the Year.
Kriel had an impressive season leading the unbeaten side to Currie Cup victory in 2015, which resulted in him being awarded the SA Rugby Players Player of the Year and Currie Cup Player of the Year titles.
The strong, never-say-die Kriel was a core member of the Lions team that won the Currie Cup in 2015.
He was also integral in guiding them to consecutive SuperRugby finals from 2016 to 2018.
"His career started here, then he went to Japan and Europe. To end it here, what a career, what a guy," Van Rooyen concluded.
Louw echoed Van Rooyen's sentiments about Kriel, saying: “He serves the team. Always with a smile on his face.
"The kind of input he gives is not something you would expect from a flanker. He has a rugby brain and brings people together. He has an awful lot for us on and off the field.”
Scoring tries is something he has been good at since he was in grade 2 when he first started playing rugby at Laerskool Standerton where he played for the Under 9’s. He was picked in the backline at scrumhalf, flyhalf and centre until he was moved to flank in grade 8.
After representing the Pumas in 2006 at the Academy Week and the following year at the Craven Week, he joined the Lions in 2008 where he represented the union at junior level until 2010 when he made his Lions debut.
In 2011 he got called up to the Super Rugby team that was travelling in New Zealand at the time.
Cobus Grobbelaar had to return home and Kriel arrived in Wellington at one o’clock the Saturday morning, only to find out he was sharing a room with his childhood hero Wikus van Heerden.
The rest, as they say, is history.
Kriel played a handful of games for Kubota Spears in Japan before following coach Johann Ackerman to English outfit Gloucester in 2018. Hampered by injuries, he never managed to fully cement his place for the Cherry and Whites.
After his return to the Lions in 2020, injuries continued to derail his rugby ambitions and will finally bring the curtain down on a long and illustrious career.