Rugby
John Goliath, Special to ESPN 7y

Three players who can fill Jaco Kriel's void in the Springbok team

Rugby, Rugby Championship

The news of Jaco Kriel's long-term injury is another blow to the beleaguered Springboks following their humiliating 57-0 loss against the All Blacks on the weekend.

Kriel was an important part of the Bok loose trio, playing a bit of a hybrid role as a flank who operates as a fetcher, does a bit of ball carrying and who can link with the backline. Jean-Luc du Preez replaced Kriel in the match against the All Blacks, but he isn't necessarily a like-for-like switch, because he is a physical bruiser.

So, with South Africa's last two Rugby Championship matches around the corner, KweséESPN looks at three players who may be able to fill Kriel's void against Australia and New Zealand.

Francois Louw (Bath, England)

Louw didn't have a great year with South Africa in 2016, probably because he joined up with the Springboks in the middle of the English offseason. But there have been various reports that he could again link up with the Boks for the remainder of the Rugby Championship.

Louw is a favourite of coach Allistert Coetzee, as the two have come along way from their time together at the Stormers. Louw has been the Boks' most prominent fetcher over the last few years, because he is also a top ball-carrier and even a lineout option. So it's not inconceivable that he will be in the mix again next week.

Chris Cloete (Pumas)

The Eastern Cape-born flank was one of the key players for the Southern Kings in their best ever year, and ended up with the most turnovers in the competition. Cloete is an out-and-out fetcher. He has got a low centre of gravity, but is as strong as an ox, because one of his hobbies includes bodybuilding.

He is a similar type of player to Heinrich Brussow, who had a lot of success for the Boks as a fetcher. However, Cloete is prone to giving away the odd penalty on the ground, and is probably not the best ball-carrier in the world. But what he brings to the table as a ball-stealer overshadows the negatives.

Kwagga Smith (Lions)

Kriel and Smith formed a top combination as twin-scavengers during the second half of Super Rugby. Smith is not the biggest rugby player on the planet, but he is strong and is really difficult to remove when competing for the ball on the ground. He is also a great one-on-one defender.

Because of his Sevens background, he is also blessed with lots of speed and his support play is outstanding. He also has a great engine on him. Smith is a bit on the small side, though, and isn't really a physical beast. But he does play with a lot of heart.

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