Jesse Kriel has ruled out leaving Japan in the near future, stating he will not depart the Yokohama Canon Eagles until he wins the league championship with the club.
Despite reported interest from Premiership and Top 14 clubs, the 32-year-old centre told the Eagles' official website his commitment is unconditional. "I won't leave Japan until I win the championship with the Eagles," he said. "I'm confident that we're building a team that can win in the end, and everyone has that mindset."
Kriel, who became the first foreign-born captain in Eagles history this past season, led the side through a difficult campaign that yielded six wins from 18 matches and a 10th-place finish — enough to avoid the promotion-relegation playoffs but well short of the top-six target the club had set entering the season. A strong close, however — three wins from the final four rounds against Urayasu D-Rocks, Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars — gave Kriel cause for optimism. "We were able to play a style of rugby that we can be proud of, even against top teams," he said, though he acknowledged the side needs to sustain that level across a full 18-match campaign.
Kriel also cited his appreciation for the Japanese game as a reason to stay. "I love the Japanese style of rugby, with its high skill level and fast tempo. Japanese players, especially the veterans, play very intelligently and have a deep understanding of rugby. I want to continue learning from them."
His Eagles teammate Faf de Klerk, by contrast, is heading home after four years in Yokohama, having signed with the Cheetahs. Kriel paid tribute to the scrumhalf's influence on both the club and Japanese rugby more broadly. "He had a huge impact not only on the Eagles but on Japanese rugby as a whole," Kriel said, adding that the two became close friends during their time together at the club.