This comes as Kriel received a red card during the 29-19 win against the Ospreys in Swansea on Saturday. The player who hails from Bloemfontein received his marching orders for what the referee Eoghan Cross and TMO Leo Colgan deemed to be leading into the tackle with his elbow.

The player added a disciplinary hearing on Tuesday and the panel overseeing the hearing deemed there was enough mitigation for the red card to be rescinded.

The disciplinary panel consisting of Roddy Dunlop (Scotland), Donal Courtney, and Gordon Black (both Ireland) found while an act of foul play had occurred, a red card should not have been issued due to various factors. This included the player’s attempt at a hand-off to protect himself, the speed and height of the tackling player, and the low force of the contact in question.

While Kriel’s red card was rescinded, a yellow card will be added to his record as there was contact with the head and neck area of the tackler.

Eoghan Cross. Photo: Bulls

Kriel has however been given the green light to continue training with the team and he will be available for selection. This at least remedies one headache for the coach Jake White, who still loses two Springboks in Elrigh Louw and Gerhard Steenekamp to concussion.

Friday’s game between the Scarlets and Bulls at Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli kicks off at 20:35.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek dg