Jesse Kriel reveals brutal Rassie Erasmus message that kept the Springboks grounded

Double World Cup-winning centre Jesse Kriel has revealed a brutal message that Rassie Erasmus hammered into the Springboks and explained the positional rivalry within the squad.

South Africa had plenty of depth during their 2023 World Cup triumph, highlighted by Kriel slotting in seamlessly when Lukhanyo Am was ruled out through injury.

Lukhanyo Am x Jesse Kriel

In 2019, Am starred for the Boks in the number 13 jumper and produced some of his trademark magic in the final to assist Makazole Mapimpi in the final.

However, he did not feature during France 2023 due to injury, and even when he was called up, Jacques Nienaber and Erasmus preferred Kriel in the position.

Since then, Kriel has given an explanation of the bond he has with Am and how they encourage one another to improve.

Many people prefer to pretend that everything is one and two and this and that, but my relationship with Lukhanyo Am is unique. In an interview with the Boks Office podcast, Kriel stated, “We are really, really good friends off the field.”

In professional sports, it is extremely uncommon for guys to genuinely desire the best for one another, which makes the squad something truly unique. When he [Am] returned from the World Cup, he was messaging me personally about the opposition 13 that I was up against.

“He was mimicking opposition outside centres in training, trying to be the best Gael Fickou that he could be during the week.”

Rassie Erasmus’ message

That culture of doing the best for the team is something Erasmus has cultivated within the squad since his return in 2018, and Kriel emphasised that fact, reiterating the Bok coach’s mantra and the message that kept them grounded.

“From that aspect (positional competition), that is what Rassie always speaks about is having the right people, not necessarily the best people, because I mean, he said to us many times, ‘there are much better rugby players than you guys all around the world that could be in the team’, but he always speaks about having the right people,” Kriel added.

“That is a very important thing because, when it comes to squad selection and things like it, obviously, you’re disappointed if you are not playing, but you understand that you’ve got a role to play.

“Everyone is so clear of their roles, whether you’re in the team or whether you’re not in the team, whether you are on the water, different things like that. Just understanding your role, putting your ego to the side, and understanding what’s the best for the team.

“Understanding that there’s something bigger than yourself that you are playing for. You play for your country, and it sounds like a cliche, everyone plays for their country, but I think we’ve really got something special here, and we speak about it a lot as a team as well. We are constantly reminding each other of the importance of wearing the Springbok jersey.”

Schalk Burger and Jean de Villiers’ reaction

Ex-Springbok captains Schalk Burger and Jean de Villiers were impressed by Kriel’s admission, as that culture was something they strived to achieve during their illustrious careers.

“I love the fact that you are competitive, but you are trying to make your mates better,” Burger said.

“That wasn’t always the case [with the Springboks], certainly not when we started in the early 2000s.

“We worked hard at it over the time, and with the bulk of our generation, we sort of got that attitude.

“You push each other hard if I’m playing better rugby, then the next guy, for example, he’s going to push himself harder to become better, and that’s how you create this squad with depth. It’s so lekker to see if you can add to Your friend’s success; I believe that’s one of life’s greatest secrets.

“There is nothing worse than being on a training pitch and there is someone sulking,” De Villiers continued.

Rugby is a team sport, Kriel acknowledged, and if that’s not your vibe, you’d be better off playing an individual sport.

“Everyone gets the medal when they go up there to get their World Cup gold,” he remarked. “Collaborating to win is preferable to winning separately. Play tennis or another solitary sport if you wish to succeed on your own.