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'Saracens have been really good to allow me to train and crack on... it's good to keep involved'
Former England lock George Kruis was at the heart of the third Saracens Heineken Champions Cup triumph in four years when they defeated Leinster last season, but he will be restricted to the role of television viewer when the teams meet again in Saturday’s mouth-watering quarter-final clash on Dublin.
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Kruis is one of six starters from the 20-10 come-from-behind victory at Newcastle who is now missing from the Saracens team, a direct result of the financial ramifications of their relegation triggered by Gallagher Premiership salary cap breaches.
Liam Williams, Alex Lozowski, Ben Spencer, Titi Lamositele, Will Skelton and Kruis have left for new challenges but the Test second row has uniquely been allowed to train with the club he represented for twelve years.
Kruis has agreed on an initial one-year deal to join Panasonic Wild Knights and expects to leave for Japan in “four to six weeks”, a switch that will see him play alongside former Wallaby David Pocock and ex-Wales centre Hadleigh Parkes at a club that has Robbie Deans as head coach.
While he has been unable to train against the Saracens players for insurance reasons, Kruis has been working out at the club and has offered insights into the Leinster lineout. He is adamant that despite the loss of key players from last year’s winning team, including the suspended Owen Farrell and loan departures Jack Singleton, Nick Isiekwe, Ben Earl and Nick Tompkins, talk of the result being a foregone conclusion is premature.
Last year's finalists do battle once more on Saturday ??
Will it be revenge for @leinsterrugby or the double for @Saracens? ?
Watch the #HeinekenChampionsCup quarter-final LIVE on @btsport ? pic.twitter.com/PORsOm1FxK
— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) September 14, 2020
Saracens may be bottom of the Premiership thanks to the points penalties their salary breaches delivered, but they have won enough matches to be inside the top four and making the last-eight of the European Cup offers the chance to give captain Brad Barritt and scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth one more trophy to mark the end of their remarkable careers at the club.
Assessing how Saracens are shaping up for Saturday, Kruis told RugbyPass: “It would be nice to be preparing to play in Dublin but I’m keen to get out to Japan. I made a decision early doors and have stuck to it. I’m around the playing group a fair bit and we have had some conversations and it’s good to keep involved. It’s a good relationship.
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“Brad and Richard have been class for the club and they are ingrained in what we have been doing and the success. I will be watching the match on the box – the Saracens team looks really good and there is experience in key positions. Obviously, a lot of guys have left or gone on loan, but there is a decent chunk of players who know their roles and I’m hopeful of them pulling it off.
“Saracens have been really good to allow me to train and crack on. I have a young lad who helps with my training programme and also with GPS and other support and they didn’t need to do that. I’m massively grateful to the club but insurance-wise I have not trained with the players. However, it’s great to knock around with them in the gym.”
Visas for sportsmen and women heading for Japan are currently being arranged for a wide range of sports, not just rugby, and Kruis admits it is comforting to finally have a target to aim for following the quarantine complications created by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“There is a rush to the embassy to get visas sorted out and I need to be there by the start of November and will probably head to Japan in mid-October,” said Kruis, who has been able to spend ample time working at www.fourfivecbd.co.uk, the cannabis oil company he set-up with Wales lock Dominic Day.
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“I have been on calls, including a leadership one with the club in Japan, and I’m getting used to the translation. They are very proactive in getting information out of you and Robbie Deans is a very likeable character. I have been in touch on a regular basis with Hadleigh, who is back in New Zealand, to catch up and share information about moving abroad.
“Over the last six months I have had a great opportunity to get stuck into the (cannabis oil) business and it has interesting managing employees through the Covid period. As players, we live a sheltered life and in times like this it has opened people’s eyes to the fact they need to start looking at planning off the field. Being based in Japan will allow us to look into the demand in that country for natural medicines and there is a lot of work I can be doing over there.”
Preparing for a new life in Japan has been made easier by the fact so many players are heading to the Far East from England, including club teammate Alex Goode, Charlie Matthews (Harlequins) and Bath’s Freddie Burns.
Kruis has been taking lessons to learn the language. “I’m continuing to try and learn the language and while it’s not the worst in the world, it could be better. I don’t know if the lineout calls will be in English or Japanese. That is the next online meeting and I don’t know if they will be able to understand me in either!”
Always a silver lining https://t.co/Afb5E8f0F0
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 15, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
The game was a quarter final, not a semi final. Barrett will be here for 6 months, he is no one's replacement at 13. That mantle will most likely ultimately go to Jamie Osborne, though Garry Ringrose has at least 4 more years in him. The long term problem position (in the next 3 years) for Leinster is tighthead prop, though there are a couple of prospects at schools level.
21 Go to commentsSo much for all that hype surrounding the ‘revival’ of Aussie rugby. The Blues were without the likes of regular starters Perofeta, Sullivan, Christie etc… This was a capitulation of the highest order by Australia’s finest. Joe Schmidt definitely has his work cut out for him.
2 Go to commentsYes they can ignore Sotutu. Like Akira Ioane plays OK at Super level but gets lost in tests. Too many chances too many failures.
2 Go to commentsA wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
12 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
12 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
5 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
25 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
5 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
37 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
37 Go to comments