Sport24.co.za | After the RWC, say goodbye to SA talent – Kriel
Cape Town – Springbok flank Jaco Kriel believes that there will be a massive exodus of South African players moving to Europe after next year’s Rugby World Cup in Japan.
Kriel signed a deal with Gloucester where he will link up with his former provincial coach Johan Ackermann and will be alongside former Lions team-mates Ruan Dreyer, Franco Mostert and Ruan Ackermann.
WATCH: Warren Whiteley’s tearful goodbye to Jaco Kriel
In an interview with the Rugby Pass website, Kriel predicted top South African talent will follow his lead by making the move abroad.
“I looked at whole situation and my own career and made the decision to come before the World Cup because I believe that after the Cup tournament in Japan everybody is going to want to come to the UK or France,” Kriel told the publication.
“… At the moment the Rand cannot compete with the Pound and that is a huge factor and if they are interested then a player will get in touch with his agent.”
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus stated in April that he has been given license from SA Rugby to select whichever overseas-based players he wants this year, even if they have less than 30 Test caps, as long as he can justify his reasoning.
However, Kriel revealed that this ‘license’ does not send a good message for South African teams back home.
“The fact that Faf (de Klerk) and Willie (le Roux) have been able to play in England and come back to play for the Springbok is not a good message for South Africa because it shows that you can come here, have great fun, enjoy your rugby and still play Test rugby. It means the last hold that teams backs home in South Africa, who want to keep their best players, had was the fact they couldn’t continue playing for the Boks,” continued Kriel, who boasts 11 Test caps for the Springboks.
“Now that rule has gone I really believe the guys wants to come over to Europe because everyone who comes here then, when they go back, talks about how amazing it is…”