Yokohama Canon Eagles Centre · South Africa
Jesse Kriel
- Position
- Centre
- Country
- South Africa
- Age
- 32
- Born
- 15 Feb 1994
- Height
- 1.85 m
- Weight
- not available
- Caps
- 90
- Test tries · pts
- not available
Season by season
— means no data from the provider| Season | App | St | T | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Rugby's Greatest Rivalry · South Africa | 4 | 4 | 2 | 10 |
| 2026 Nations Championship · South Africa | 3 | 3 | 3 | 15 |
| 2026 Int. Friendly Games · South Africa | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
Minutes are not recorded in the match feed for these matches.
Last five matches
- Won v New Zealand 43–28 Rugby's Greatest Rivalry · · started
- Won v New Zealand 29–24 Rugby's Greatest Rivalry · · started 1 try
- Won v New Zealand 33–26 Rugby's Greatest Rivalry · · started 1 try
- Lost v New Zealand 16–33 Rugby's Greatest Rivalry · · started
- Won v Wales 43–0 Nations Championship · · started 1 try
Match by match
8 tracked matches| Attack | Total |
|---|---|
| Running metres | 192 |
| Carries | 37 |
| Clean breaks | 6 |
| Offloads | 1 |
| Try assists | 1 |
| Passes | 21 |
| Defence | Total |
|---|---|
| Tackles made | 63 |
| Tackles missed | 20 |
| Tackle success | 76% |
Rugby's Greatest Rivalry 4 apps · 2 tries
| Match | Car | M | Tkl | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| v New Zealand 12 Sep 2026 · W 43–28 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| v New Zealand 5 Sep 2026 · W 29–24 | 6 | 58 | 9 | 1 |
| v New Zealand 29 Aug 2026 · W 33–26 | 7 | 29 | 12 | 1 |
| v New Zealand 22 Aug 2026 · L 16–33 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| Totals 4 apps · 2 tries | 17 | 94 | 28 | 2 |
Nations Championship 3 apps · 3 tries
| Match | Car | M | Tkl | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| v Wales 18 Jul 2026 · W 43–0 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 1 |
| v Scotland 11 Jul 2026 · W 42–28 | 5 | 37 | 13 | 1 |
| v England 4 Jul 2026 · W 45–21 | 6 | 31 | 5 | 1 |
| Totals 3 apps · 3 tries | 14 | 72 | 26 | 3 |
Int. Friendly Games 1 app · 1 try
| Match | Car | M | Tkl | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| v Barbarians 20 Jun 2026 · W 80–31 | 6 | 26 | 9 | 1 |
| Totals 1 app · 1 try | 6 | 26 | 9 | 1 |
WeTalkRugby Rating
About Jesse Kriel
Jesse Kriel is one of the most-capped Springboks of the modern era and one of the least discussed, which is roughly what happens to a defensive specialist in a side that wins.
He plays outside centre, and his job in South Africa’s system is the one that fails visibly and succeeds invisibly. The Springboks defend by pushing hard off the line and trusting the 13 to make the read — if he gets it wrong, the try is his fault, and if he gets it right nobody mentions it. Kriel has been getting it right for over a decade.
He came through the Bulls as a fullback, which is where the aerial work comes from. He is one of the better contestants in the Springboks back line and is regularly used on kick-chase in a game plan that lives on territory.
He was part of the 2019 World Cup squad and started in the 2023 final. He moved to Japan with Canon Eagles and has been selected throughout.
He has captained the Springboks in Tests when the senior leadership group has been rested, which is the clearest indication of how he is regarded internally.
The attacking numbers will never make his case. The defensive record has made it for fifteen years.
Latest on Kriel
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South Africa teammates
Full squadFrequently asked questions
What position does Jesse Kriel play?
Jesse Kriel plays as a centre for South Africa.
Which team does Jesse Kriel play for?
Jesse Kriel currently plays for Yokohama Canon Eagles.
How old is Jesse Kriel?
Jesse Kriel is 32 years old (born 15 February 1994).
How tall is Jesse Kriel?
Jesse Kriel stands 1.85m tall.
What nationality is Jesse Kriel?
Jesse Kriel is from South Africa.
How many tries has Jesse Kriel scored?
Jesse Kriel has scored 6 tries and 30 points across 8 tracked matches.