![Big in Japan! Springbok Jesse Kriel speaks Japanese like a pro — and Faf? [WATCH]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.citizen.co.za%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F06%2Fjesse-kriel-springbok-faf-de-klerk-japanese.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
Big in Japan! Springbok Jesse Kriel speaks Japanese like a pro — and Faf? [WATCH]
Springboks Jesse Kriel and Faf de Klerk during an interview in Japan. Kriel runs with the ball during the NTT Japan Rugby League One match between Yokohama Canon Eagles and Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay in February 2025. Picture:Springboks player Jesse Kriel is not only versatile when it comes to the game of rugby — darting around the field as utility back, centre, wing or fullback.
Throughout the years, he has also emerged as a man who can speak in 'many tongues': From English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa…and now Japanese!
'Konnichiwa': Jesse Kriel and Faf de Klerk in Japan
The 31-year-old rugby player currently plays for the Canon Eagles in the Japanese Top League in Yokohama, Japan.
Kriel also scored some bonus points with his fans recently when a video interview of him speaking Japanese resurfaced on TikTok.
He is joined in the studio by fellow Springbok Faf de Klerk, who also runs out for the Canon Eagles.
In the clip, De Klerk has clearly not mastered the intricate language, while Kriel spoke it fluently, conversing at length with the Japanese rugby commentator.
WATCH: Jesse Kriel and Faf de Klerk speak Japanese…
isiXhosa? No problem!
Last year, a clip of the powerhouse utility back speaking isiXhosa went viral.
Jesse Kriel speaks isiXhosa during his interview with Springboks assistant coach Mzwandile Stick. Picture: TikTok/
In the video snippet posted on social media by SuperSport, Jesse is interviewed in isiXhosa by Springboks assistant coach Mzwandile Stick on their team's 2024 season. Take a look…
'Growing the De Klerk team'
Meanwhile, Faf is 'growing the De Klerk team', with the blonde scrumhalf's wife, Miné, announcing over the weekend that she is expecting the couple's second child.
Faf and Miné, who welcomed their first daughter, Remi-Ré de Klerk, in February last year, shared that they are expecting another baby girl.
'Surprise! We're growing the De Klerk team! Big Sister Duty: Pick the Faffie of our new teammate… another girl on the way,' Miné captioned her Instagram Reel.
Hier kom die Bokke!
Kriel and De Klerk have been included in the Springbok squad, which will face the Barbarians in their first encounter of the season on South African soil in Cape Town on Saturday, 28 June, where they will play for the Qatar Airways Cup.
This will be followed by back-to-back Tests against Italy in Pretoria and Gqeberha on 5 and 12 July, and Georgia in Nelspruit a week later on 19 July.
Springbok squad
Forwards: Juarno Augustus (Northampton Saints), Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Renzo du Plessis (Lions), Jean-Luc du Preez (Sale Sharks), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Thomas du Toit (Bath), Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Neethling Fouché (Stormers), Cameron Hanekom (Bulls), Jean Kleyn (Munster), Vincent Koch, Siya Kolisi (both Sharks), Wilco Louw (Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Bongi Mbonambi, Ntuthuko Mchunu (both Sharks), Salmaan Moerat (Stormers), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Retshegofaditswe 'Ox' Nché (Sharks), Ruan Nortje (Bulls), Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Lions), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), RG Snyman (Leinster), Gerhard Steenekamp (Bulls), Vincent Tshituka (Sharks), Marco van Staden (Bulls), Marnus van der Merwe (Scarlets), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Bulls), Cobus Wiese (Bulls), Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks).
Backs: Lukhanyo Am (Sharks), Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles), Andre Esterhuizen, Aphelele Fassi (both Sharks), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers), Jaden Hendrikse, Jordan Hendrikse, Ethan Hooker (all Sharks), Quan Horn (Lions), Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Willie le Roux (Bulls), Manie Libbok (Stormers), Makazole Mapimpi (Sharks), Ntokozo Makhaza (UCT), Canan Moodie (Bulls), Handré Pollard (Leicester Tigers), Cobus Reinach (Montpellier), Morné van den Berg, Edwill van der Merwe (both Lions), Damian Willemse (Stormers), Grant Williams (Sharks).
NOW READ: Evan Roos called up to Springbok squad
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
an hour ago
- The Citizen
Junior Springbok stars set to light up the Currie Cup
The Sharks, Western Province, Bulls and Lions have all named Junior Springbok stars in their squads for the 2025 Currie Cup competition. A number of players who were part of the 2025 World Rugby U20 Championship winning Junior Springboks squad could light up the country's oldest rugby competition, the Currie Cup, when it kicks off around South Africa this weekend. Captain Riley Norton's charges became the second South African U20 side in history to lift the prestigious trophy when they beat fierce rivals, the Junior All Blacks, in the final last weekend, emulating the class of 2012, who beat New Zealand that year on home soil. Having now arrived back in South Africa after the three week long tournament in Italy, the players may not receive much rest before they are given the chance to make an immediate step up into senior rugby in the Currie Cup. All of SA's four main franchises, who all but two (signed to the Cheetahs) of the Junior Bok squad are contracted to, have announced their squads for the competition, with the Bulls naming six junior world championship winners in their group, the Sharks and Western Province eight each, and the Lions four. First round rest Most of the teams are unlikely to pick their Junior Bok stars for round one, as they played the final last Saturday and only arrived back in South Africa on Monday, so have yet to train fully with their respective franchises, while the players who featured a lot during the tournament will also need a bit of a break. But it will be interesting to see how many Junior Boks can now make a splash in the Currie Cup and later push for places in their respective franchise URC sides when that kicks off in September. A few Junior Bok players have already made their URC debuts, but if the talent that was shown at the U20 showpiece event is anything to go by, many more of them will get a chance over the coming season. If I had to pick two players from each major franchise to keep an eye on in the Currie Cup, I'd go with Norton and Xola Nyali at Western Province, Bathobele Hlekani and Vusi Moyo at the Sharks, Siphosethu Mnebelele and Cheswill Jooste at the Bulls, and Haashim Pead and Gilermo Mentoe at the Lions.
The South African
4 hours ago
- The South African
Wallabies v British & Irish Lions 2.0: Kick off time
Although the Springboks won't be action again until mid-August, there is at least some other high-profile rugby entertainment to keep an eye on as the Wallabies tackle the British & Irish Lions in the second Test. Kick off is at 12:00 (SA time) in Melbourne this Saturday. The home team need a victory to keep the series alive, and they have welcomed back loose forward Rob Valetini, hooker David Porecki and lock Will Skelton to bolster the pack in hopes of reversing the opening Test 27-19 defeat in Brisbane. Meanwhile, for the Lions, tour captain Maro Itoje of Saracens and England's is partnered at lock by his fellow countryman and Leicester Tigers forward Ollie Chessum. In the front row its the Leinster Rugby and Ireland trio of Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong. The back row sees Leinster and Ireland's Jack Conan at No.8, Munster and Ireland's Tadhg Beirne at blindside and Sale Sharks and England's Tom Curry at openside. Leinster and Ireland's Jamison Gibson-Park and Bath Rugby and Scotland's Finn Russell are named as the halfback pairing again. Connacht Rugby and Ireland's Bundee Aki is partnered with Glasgow Warriors and Scotland's Huw Jones in midfield, while the combination of Leinster and Ireland duo Hugo Keenan and James Lowe, and Northampton Saints and England's Tommy Freeman is unchanged from the first Test. Australia: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Max Jorgensen, 13 Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, 12 Len Ikitau, 11 Harry Potter, 10 Tom Lynagh, 9 Jake Gordon, 8 Harry Wilson (captain), 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Will Skelton, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 David Porecki, 1 James Slipper. Replacements: 16 Billy Pollard, 17 Angus Bell, 18 Tom Robertson, 19 Jeremy Williams, 20 Langi Gleeson, 21 Carlo Tizzano, 22 Tate McDermott, 23 Ben Donaldson. British and Irish Lions: 15 Hugo Keenan, 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 James Lowe, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Jack Conan, 7 Tom Curry, 6 Tadhg Beirne, 5 Ollie Chessum, 4 Maro Itoje (captain), 3 Tadgh Furlong, 2 Dan Sheehan, 1 Andrew Porter. Replacements: 16 Ronan Kelleher, 17 Ellis Genge, 18 Will Stuart, 19 James Ryan, 20 Jac Morgan, 21 Alex Mitchell, 22 Owen Farrell, 23 Blair Kinghorn. Date: Saturday, 26 July Venue: Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne Kick-off: 12:00 (SA time) Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy) Assistant referees: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia), Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand) TMO: Eric Gauzins (France) Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
5 hours ago
- The Citizen
The Currie Cup is back in the spotlight
Could Boland spring a surprise in the opening weekend? Trevor Nyakane celebrates with the rest of the Sharks team, who won the Currie Cup in 2024. Picture: Christiaan Kotze/Gallo Images The 2025 edition of the Currie Cup kicks off on Friday with a full round of fixtures and eight teams in action, all chasing glory in a few months' time. With several Springbok players out of action because of their involvement with the Rugby Championship, which gets underway in the middle of next month, and other United Rugby Championship players still resting, there is an opportunity for a number of up-and-coming players to make their mark over the next few weeks. Also, a number of players who featured for the Junior Springboks in their U20 Championship-winning campaign in Italy will get a chance to show what they can do at a higher level. Who's favoured to win this weekend? Of course there will also be an opportunity for punters to get in on the action and each week Betway will give fans a chance to bank some bucks. In the competition opener on Friday night, the Pumas are favourites at 1.16 to beat Griquas, who're at 5.50 to cause an early upset. On Saturday, the Lions are hot favourites at 1.20 to beat the Sharks, who're at 4.50 to win in Joburg, while Western Province are 1.50 to beat the Bulls in the Cape, with the visitors at 2.60 to win. In the final game of the first round, Boland, who're back in the top flight of the competition, are 3.40 underdogs, at home, to beat the Cheetahs, who're at 1.33 to win, according to Betway. It promises to be an entertaining first round of action. These Betway odds correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
