David Kriel ready to fill Gio Aplon’s dancing boots
Just relax, and our rhythm on attack will come through again. That was the word from impressive Bulls youngster David Kriel, who is set to don the No 15 jersey in Saturday’s Super Rugby Unlocked clash against the Sharks in Pretoria.
The Bulls confirmed the worst yesterday for veteran Gio Aplon, who sustained a knee ligament injury in last Friday’s 19-17 loss to the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.
The 38-year-old Aplon has torn an anterior cruciate ligament and will have an operation tomorrow before beginning a long road to recovery that could take anything from six to nine months.
While the former Stormers star’s absence is a blow to the Bulls attack, they seem to have uncovered a bright new spark in Kriel, who has shown good composure on attack and defence this season.
A Grey College school protégé, the 21-year-old made his way to the Cape, where he didn’t quite crack the nod at Currie Cup and Super Rugby level.
Bulls director of rugby Jake White, though, recruited the former SA Under-20 player to join his younger brother Richard – “my brother is a better rugby player than me” – in Pretoria, and has been bold in handing David a starting berth at wing.
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