Springbok News: More Incentive for Kriel as Fourie Withdraws

(SuperSport) The withdrawal of Springbok World Cup winning centre Jaque Fourie from the current squad, even if initially there is a chance of it being temporary, should add extra incentive for newcomer Jesse Kriel to deliver a top class performance against the World XV on Saturday.

It was announced on Wednesday afternoon that Fourie has withdrawn from the squad due to a lack of fitness and will return to his Japanese club, Kobe. Bok coach Heyneke Meyer said that following a meeting with Fourie the previous day, a mutual decision had been taken that Fourie would return to his club to regain fitness and to get game time.

Although it has been made clear that Fourie will be considered for the World Cup should he regain his fitness, the words “if needed” were an interesting quote in the press release that may be seen as a caveat and could mean that Meyer’s mind about Fourie’s importance to the World Cup challenge can be changed by someone like Kriel in the interim.

Kriel, highly rated by Meyer and described as a player with the potential to go on to become the best outside centre South Africa has ever produced, gets an opportunity to nail down the No 13 jersey when he pairs up with Damian de Allende against Australia on Saturday. Meyer has said that he will probably keep that midfield together for the following week’s opening Castle Lager Rugby Championship clash with Australia in Brisbane.

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