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Former Springbok Kruger calls time on 16-year career

Werner Kruger /Getty Images

Scarlets prop Werner Kruger is set to bring the curtain down a 16-year career that has seen him play over 370 first-class rugby games in Super Rugby, the Currie Cup and the PRO14.

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The experienced tight-head prop has been in Llanelli since arriving from Super Rugby side the Bulls in 2016. Capped four times by the Springboks, Kruger was the first Bulls player to make a century of appearances in both Super Rugby and the Currie Cup.

“You hear the statement ‘you know when you know’ and you never really understand until it comes across your path,” he said. “I feel very privileged and very blessed to have been able to have played this game that we love for the past 16-plus years.

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AWJ and Pivac front up:

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      AWJ and Pivac front up:

      “Rugby has been a passion of mine from being a young kid growing up, dreaming of playing for the Springboks and it has been a real privilege to have played for so long.”

      He has played 122 times for the West Wales region, establishing himself as a hugely reliable front-row operator as well as a prop with an eye for the try-line, having scored nine times in Scarlets colours.

      “It could not have started better for me, going on that winning run and then winning the title in Dublin against Munster. That entire season is a massive highlight for me. The La Rochelle European quarter-final and seeing Parc y Scarlets packed out was also something special.”

      “I have been privileged in my career to have been involved in some great squads. Winning two Super Rugby finals back-to-back with the Bulls was a massive honour and of course representing the Springboks and making my debut against Australia in Sydney is something I will never forget.”

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      Kruger is planning to pursue a career as a financial planner.

      Scarlets head coach Glenn Delaney said: “To make more than a century of appearances in the Currie Cup, Super Rugby and with the Scarlets is an incredible achievement and testament to Werner’s professionalism and the way he approaches his rugby. He is a role model for any young player coming into the game.

      “All of us involved with the Scarlets would like to congratulate Werner on a wonderful career and I’m sure he still has a few more games left in him before he returns to South Africa at the end of the season.”

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      M
      MS 10 minutes ago
      Why Blair Kinghorn should be nailed on as the Lions starting 15

      I can see arguments for both Kinghorn, and Keenan starting for the Lions. But I’m less convinced by some of the claims (clearly partisan) supporters are using to argue the merits of one over the other.


      For example, a number of Ireland supporters have suggested Kinghorn is ‘defensively weak’. That’s patently false - or at least on the evidence of this 6N, he’s certainly no weaker there than Keenan is, who is presumably the comparative standard they’re using. Keenan was both shrugged off in contact, and beaten on the edge for pace, a number of times during this competition.


      Equally, Scotland supporters arguing Kinghorn is the more capable ‘rugby player’ seem to have overlooked the (frankly sizeable) body of evidence demonstrating that Keenan is an excellent ball in hand distributor and decision maker. So that doesn’t hold up under scrutiny either.


      I don’t think there’s all that much to choose between them, and either would be a strong choice. I think it would be really interesting from a pure rugby perspective to see Keenan playing a ‘Scotland-esque’ style of high tempo attacking rugby. Either coming into the line more routinely as first receiver, or being swung as a pendulum and getting the ball on the edge against a stretched defence.


      That’s assuming Andy Farrell goes that route, of course. He may well just opt for his Ireland system instead, and populate it with the likes of Henshaw, Ringrose, Lowe and Keenan. I’m sure that would win the series. Quite what effect it might have on a Lions audience who were expecting something other than ‘Ireland on tour, but wearing red’ would remain to be seen.


      As for the debate at FB, the only ‘eye test’ difference I feel exists is in the pace of rugby Kinghorn (Toulouse? Scotland?) tends to play. His passing/offload game feels crisper and higher tempo than Keenan’s - and as we saw in Paris, his pace and eye for a gap from deep are superior.


      But again, that will only prove a decisive factor if Andy Farrell wants to play that way. If all he wants from his FB is to sit deep, field high balls, and mop up then there’s little between these two equally excellent players.

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