Jesse Kriel

Talented young Vodacom Bulls utility back Jessie Kriel looks set to be the 1st player to be given an opportunity to wear the problematic Springbok No 13 jersey at the start of the international season building up to the Rugby World Cup.

Kriel played most of his Super Rugby season at fullback, but he has played a lot of his rugby at outside centre.

The former SA under 20 star switched with regular captain Jean de Villiers in joining Stormers star Damian de Allende in the Bok shadow team’s midfield during the open training session at Cape Town Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.

De Villiers is unlikely to start the match as it will be his 1st appearance on the playing field since undergoing reconstructive knee surgery after being struck down by injury in the final Test of 2014 against Wales in Cardiff.

So Kriel, who did most of the training in that position on Monday, can be considered a near certainty to make his debut in the season pipe-opener.

Obviously Springbok assistant coach Johan van Graan was not in a position to divulge whether the team that trained was the team that will play when he was questioned by media following the training session, but he didn’t contain his excitement at what Kriel could bring to the position if he does play.

“I’ve watched Jessie play since his school days and he is a really special player,” said Van Graan, who doubles his role as forwards coach with that of attack coach.

“He is a really explosive runner and has unbelievable speed. His decision making is brilliant, and I have always been impressed with his hunger to both play and learn. He is one of those guys who wants to learn something new every day. Every moment he is asking you about specific things that can improve him as a player.

“We know he brings exciting possibilities as a centre and has the attributes. He completed a fantastic season at fullback for the Bulls this year, and although he is young, he is confident. If he is selected to play on Saturday it would be very interesting to see what he can bring at international level.”

Van Graan said that the Newlands match was being seen as the perfect platform to try a few new things.

“This is the time to try new things in terms of game-plan, anything new that we want to introduce, and if we want to test someone new this is also the time to do it,” he said.

“I’m not sure what lies beyond this year, but we have a few things in mind for the next 4 months until the end of October, which is when the World Cup ends, and we will be trying some of those things this weekend.”

The favourite to play outside centre at the World Cup is Jaque Fourie, who spent the session on an exercise bike on the side of the field, while De Villiers played the position during much of Heyneke Meyer’s 1st year as Springbok coach.

De Villiers again looked comfortable in training and looks certain to get game time, though probably not in the starting team.

When Jan Serfontein and Frans Steyn return to rugby later in the international season, they will add further to a Springbok midfield resource pool that would be boosted significantly if Kriel comes through the World XV game as well as Van Graan appears to be hoping he will.

Lions centre Lionel Mapoe lined up with the reserves who provided the shadow team with opposition in the contact session.

With Lambie having been out for a few months with injury, Handré Pollard was always likely to start against the World XV and that appeared the case at training, with the Bulls pivot running the entire session at flyhalf while Morné Steyn were wearing the bibs worn by members of the fringe team.

If the 23 that trained is the 23 that does duty at Newlands there could be some interesting selections in the pool of front-row forwards, for Frans Malherbe was not part of the training team on Monday.

Instead his Stormers teammate, Vincent Koch, operated as back-up to Jannie du Plessis, while Trevor Nyakane looks likely to get the nod ahead of Stormers loosehead powerhouse Steven Kitshoff.

There was no lock back-up to Eben Etzebeth and Victor Matfield, with Teboho ‘Oupa’ Mohoje looking likely to cover both lock and blindside flank, with Marcell Coetzee covering for Francois Louw at openside. The back row configuration looks likely to be Louw, Schalk Burger at blindside and Warren Whiteley at No 8.

Should the 23 who trained as the squad on Tuesday be in the match 23 on Saturday it would mean 2 new caps in the form of Jesse Kriel and reserve prop Vincent Koch.

Probable Springbok team: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jessie Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Beast Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Teboho ‘Oupa’ Mohoje, 20 Marcell Coetzee, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Patrick Lambie, 23 Jean de Villiers.

SuperSport