Jesse Kriel has praised Canan Moodie on his switch from an outside back to outside centre, and believes he is set to thrive in the position.
Springbok utility back Canan Moodie looks to finally be making his transition fully into an outside centre, with the Boks now backing him as a No 13, instead of on the wing, where he has played for most of his professional career.
The 22-year-old started at fullback and on the wing for the Bulls in his first pro season in 2022, and also made his Bok debut on the wing later that year against the Wallabies, scoring a stunning try after plucking the ball out of the air ahead of Aussie stalwart Marika Koroibete and racing away.
However, Moodie played outside centre at schoolboy level, and after he made his first appearance for the Boks in the position during their memorable 35-7 hammering of the All Blacks at Twickenham ahead of the 2023 World Cup, it was more a question of when and not if he would make the switch.
Moodie himself has admitted that he prefers playing in the No 13 jumper, while former Bulls coach Jake White also said he saw his future there, and now it looks like Rassie Erasmus is going all in on him in the position.
He has played at 13 for the Bulls numerous times over the past season, and played their in the Boks’ last two games, scoring tries in their wins over Italy in Gqeberha and Georgia in Mbombela.
Backup 13
At Monday’s team announcement, ahead of Saturday’s Test against Australia at Ellis Park, Erasmus said that he had named Moodie on the bench for this weekend’s game, as backup to first choice outside centre Jesse Kriel, because Damian de Allende, who usually covers it, was out due to an injury niggle.
At a press conference on Tuesday Kriel was asked about the rise of Moodie in the position and he was full of superlatives to describe his teammate and competitive rival for the No 13 jersey.
“I think he’s done an unbelievable job when he has played at centre. I don’t think people realise what kind of rugby brain he has on him as well. He is a proper student of the game, and he does a lot of work behind closed doors that no one sees,” said Kriel.
“He also has an absolute engine on him. He’s a great athlete that can keep working repeatedly and I think he has an unbelievable future ahead of him.
“He is someone that is a really good rugby player and a really good team man as well. So it’s great to be competing and working with a guy like that. It is awesome for South African rugby.”
Although Kriel is the current first choice Bok 13, and will likely still be firmly in the mix at 33-years-old by the time the next World Cup rolls around in 2027, Moodie will be gunning to take over as the starting bolter.
