The Seattle Seawolves signed Dan Kriel through the 2024 Major League Rugby season. The center is 6’4″ and 227 lbs.
Dan was born in Cape Town, South Africa, and comes from a rugby family. His twin brother Jesse plays professionally, as did his great grandfather John Hodgeson, who had 15 appearances for the British Irish Lions in the 1930s.
Dan attended Maritzburg College and played for the school’s age-grade sides in the Kula Zulu Natal U16 Grant Khomo Week and the U18 Craven Week. After high school, he joined the Blue Bulls Academy and the team won the U19 Provincial Championship. This led to his selection for the South Africa U20s at the IRB Junior World Championship in New Zealand in 2014.
Dan also played in the 2014 and 2015 Provincial Championships, the 2015-16 Varsity Cup with the University of Pretoria Tuks, who were semifinalists in 2015 where he was selected to the Dream Team. He also played in the 2015 Vodacom Cup with the Blue Bulls. In 2016 he made his Currie Cup debut and played with their Super Rugby side making three appearances.
Dan moved to Cape Town in 2017 to join the Stormers and spent three seasons with the Stormers’ Super Rugby side and Western Province in the Currie Cup competition, where he contributed to their 2017 Currie Cup Championship.
In 2019, he moved to the Lions and Golden Lions in their Super Rugby, Currie Cup, and Rainbow Cup competitions.
Seattle Seawolves Comments
“Signing Dan on a three-year contract reflects the aspirations we have as a Club. He’s an experienced Super Rugby player yet he’s still only 27 years old with a huge ambition to perform for the Seawolves and challenge for senior honors with the Springboks,” said Seawolves director of rugby and head coach Allen Clarke. “From all our conversations, Dan clearly is a man of integrity and principle. I’ve no doubt he’ll be a tremendous addition to our squad and a role model to our young, midfield backs. I’m sure our supporters will join me in welcoming Dan, his wife, Candice, and children, Summer and, Cruz to the Seawolves family.”
“My family and I are really excited for the new chapter that lies ahead,” said Kriel. “We have heard such great things about Seattle and Major League Rugby. It already feels like home.”
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