Battered, bruised, and smiling.
That was the face of Jesse Kriel at the end of the epic Rugby World Cup quarterfinal clash against France on Sunday night.
Kriel had literally given heart and soul for the Springbok cause and taken a belting for it.
His work rate was immense, making 13 tackles and stopping the daunting French midfield in their tracks alongside his partner Damian de Allende.
For South Africa 🇿🇦#StrongerTogether #Springboks #RWC2023 #FRAvRSA pic.twitter.com/whzjxflUBQ
— Springboks (@Springboks) October 15, 2023
But on attack he came to the fore even more. The turnover ball that he got from Pieter-Steph du Toit was perfect for the counterattack, but Kriel sensed a flying Cheslin Kolbe was on his outside and sent the ball downfield with the perfect grubber that bounced up into Kolbe’s hands for a try.
There were so many more things he did, not only by being rock solid in defence, by frustrating the French attack and then when it mattered most, taking another turnover ball and grubbering it up field for Antoine Dupont to be caught on his own line and set up the chance for the match-winning try.
On Sunday night in a game for the ages, there were several candidates that could have ended up with the man of the match award. It went to Bongi Mbonambi.
The try-scorers and Kolbe for his audacious charge-down all were candidates.
But while his teammates celebrated, Kriel looked as if he had been to war.
He had put his body on the line for the cause and delivered more than was asked, and for that he is our hero of the week.