Gloucester flank Jaco Kriel predicts a mass exodus of South African players to Europe after next year’s World Cup.
Kriel told Rugby Pass that he signed for Gloucester this year, because he expects a deluge of South African players to join European teams due to the strength of the pound and euro.
‘I looked at the whole situation and my own career and made the decision to come before the World Cup because I believe that after the tournament in Japan, everybody is going to want to come to the UK or France,’ Kriel said.
‘At the moment the rand cannot compete with the pound and that is a huge factor and if they are interested then a player will get in touch with his agent.’
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The ex-Lions’ flanker’s prediction comes after SA Rugby announced that it had suffered a net loss of R62-million in 2017, leaving it in a difficult situation financially.
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
