Eddie Jones has revealed what he learned about the Springboks after a two-hour chat over coffee with Jesse Kriel.
The Japan coach caught up with the two-time World Cup winner after the Boks’ 61-7 win over the Brave Blossoms in November.
“I was lucky enough to be coached by Bob Dwyer, and he always said to me, ‘The best players are the best coaches,’” Jones said on the Rugby Unity podcast. “So he said, ‘When you start coaching, one of the things you’ve got to do, mate, is go out and meet the best players all the time.’”
While Jones and Kriel had crossed paths before, it was their first proper discussion.
“I knew Jesse Kriel, but we never really spoke,” Jones explained. “After South Africa, I said, ‘Let’s catch up when you’re back, mate’. So we organised over coffee and spent two hours just talking about what South Africa are doing.
“Not in any detail, but along the lines of what they’re doing well. He asked me a few questions about what we’re doing; it was just a really good chat about rugby.”
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Jones said the discussion reinforced his admiration for Kriel’s approach and professionalism.
“He is one of those guys who come here [to Japan], and he gives it absolutely 100%. He plays every Test like he’s playing for the Springboks, and it’s great to see those blokes.”
Reflecting on Kriel’s journey, Jones highlighted the mental resilience forged through adversity.
“You think about his World Cup record; 2015, he was in that Springbok side that got beaten by Japan. He’s won the next two World Cups, and you can see he’s just doing everything he can to be the best player he can be for the next World Cup.
“There’s no idea about going there and just going to the World Cup; it’s about getting to the World Cup and winning.
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“That’s the essence of what I picked up about the Springboks. At the moment, everything they do is about winning, and they know what they’re good at, they know what areas they can potentially improve in, and they’re safe, focused and diligent about it.
“And it’s when you get a team really humming that you hear that from the players. It’s a really good sign.”
Photo: Luke Walker/Getty Images
