Single Jesse Kriel happy to extend Japan contract as Bok players with families return home
· Citizen
Jesse Kriel said he fully understands why fellow Springboks are leaving Japan to return home and be with their families. However, he is still enjoying his rugby there and has extended his contract by two years.
It comes after Japan-based Kwagga Smith terminated his contract with immediate effect to move to the Bulls, with Malcolm Marx set to join him next season and Manie Libbok returning to the Sharks.
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Pieter-Steph du Toit and Damian de Allende have also been linked with moves to Boland.
It’s the latest sign of an apparent tide of returns, after Springboks Cheslin Kolbe, Thomas du Toit, Boan Venter, Curwin Bosch and Faf de Klerk returned from overseas in the last season or two.
Springboks miss home
In August, Cheslin Kolbe opened up about how hard it was being away from his wife and three children “and missing out on the small moments I’ll never get back”, before he joined the Stormers.
Thomas du Toit, who rejoined the Sharks from Bath, said last month: “My youngest daughter is three weeks old, and I’ve known her for a week. It’s incredibly difficult.”
Kriel said that while he misses his brother in the United States, he visits as often as he can. But he doesn’t have a wife or children of his own, which makes playing overseas much easier.
“A lot of the guys have come home to spend more time with their families and not miss big things like their kids’ first days of school and being able to attend their sporting events and things like that… I don’t have those kinds of commitments at the moment,” he said.
“I’m still loving my rugby that side and committed for another two seasons there.”
Balancing the cheque book with family time
The Springbok centre joined Yokohama Canon Eagles in 2020 and was named the club’s first non-Japanese captain last November. In July, he said he would remain at the club until they win the League One championship.
“I spent every day with Cheslin when we were in Japan. He was on FaceTime with his kids every moment of the day, and I think that just started to get to him, which I can completely understand.
“I don’t think happiness is always a big contract or playing abroad. Sometimes it’s just watching your kids grow up and being able to attend sporting events and family events. I think it all just depends on the person.”
Siya Kolisi, Handré Pollard, Eben Etzebeth, André Esterhuizen, Wilco Louw, Deon Fourie and others rejoined South African teams in recent years.