By Brenden Nel.
It didn’t take young David Kriel long to pinpoint the difference between the Vodacom United Rugby Championship and the Carling Currie Cup when asked the question on Monday afternoon.
“The URC is more technical and accurate, the local games are much more physical,” he smiled as if he knew what was approaching when the Vodacom Blue Bulls host the Cell C Sharks in Currie Cup action on Wednesday night.
Kriel knows all too well. After several games in the URC he has dropped back in the pecking order behind Kurt-Lee Arendse and will get a chance to prove himself on Wednesday night after missing the recent URC trip to Italy.
But far from being down, Kriel has only smiles when talking about his time at Loftus. He was at the Stormers when SP Marais and Dillyn Lleyds were first choice fullbacks and when they left Damian Willemse took over the role. So moving to Pretoria has been exceptional in terms of game time for him – and the two Currie Cup titles he was part of winning.
So ask him which moment at Loftus is his favourite, and he can’t pick between the two Currie Cup victories, but it is clear they stand out for him.
“It was an awesome feeling and still, to this day, I can’t believe that we won two in a row.I really can’t explain it.”
It underlines the depth of feeling for the “oldest trophy in the world” – as he describes it – and the passion that still flows through the local game. And on Wednesday night the Bulls know they have a tough task against a Sharks team that is still unbeaten and heading their way.
And while he has missed URC action in recent weeks, he now gets his chance to shine again.
“We have a team philosophy before every game that ‘W.I.N’ stands for ‘what is needed,’ and the coach selects Kurt-Lee Arendse because that is what is needed. With all due respect, Kurt-Lee is playing helluva good rugby at the moment, so all credit to him. The team is doing well, so I couldn’t be happier.
“The Sharks are always a massive game, especially in the Currie Cup. It’s a massive rivalry, especially as we won both Currie Cups against them in the final. I think the whole squad is quite excited and keen to show what they can produce on the field.”
And with his brother Richard likely to be in the match day 23 next to him, the smiles continue and all he can say is that it is “awesome, everytime we play together it is living my dream.”
On Wednesday night he wants to continue living that dream to try and get a win for his side as they seek their third consecutive title.