Lions boss pays tribute to retiring Jaco Kriel: ‘The guy you want in the team’

Lions stalwart and 11-times Springbok flank Jaco Kriel will play his final game on Saturday before calling time on his career.

The 33-year-old, who has struggled with all sorts of injuries throughout his career, will wear the Lions’ red and white jersey for the last time in the final United Rugby Championship match of the current season against Zebre at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

The match, which kicks off at 1pm, will be the first of a double-header feature that also includes the Bulls taking on Leinster at 4pm.

‘Scrawny flanker’

Kriel, who started his career with the Lions in 2010, also played for the Kubota Spears in Japan and Gloucester in England. He won his 11 Bok caps in 2016/17.

Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen on Saturday said Kriel had played his last home game for the Lions and paid tribute to the flanker, who also led the Joburg-based team in two Super Rugby finals.

“When I joined the Lions in 2009 Jaco was with the under 20s … he was a scrawny, small flanker, and he developed into a man, on and off field,” said Van Rooyen, who was initially a conditioning coach at the Lions union.

“Jaco has made a big difference at the union, he’s had such an impact.

“He’s had an enormously tough life. You could see his quality come through again tonight (against Leinster on Saturday), even with very sore knees and age against him, to play 80 minutes.

“He’s one of the toughest men I’ve met in my life, and certainly one of best teammates I have worked with. He’s the kind of guy you want in your team; what a career he has had.”

Current Lions captain and former Sharks centre Marius Louw, who probably played more against Kriel than with him, said: “He is a guy that always serves the team. And I don’t remember one day where he hasn’t had a smile on his face.”

After this weekend’s match against Zebre, the Lions will possibly push their strongest team into action in the Currie Cup, where they will hope to move up the points table and feature in the playoffs in a few weeks’ time.