Fitness, diet and discipline are just some of the values that are driven into rugby players as they prepare for a match.

Bulls and Boks rugby player Jesse Kriel is back from a rugby stint in Japan and in an interview with News24 Live, the rugby centre shares his training tricks as gets in gear for the 2016 Super 18 Rugby Season.

Fitness level

Players are required to exceed a fitness level that will not only keep them injury free but also enables them to perform at their best in tournaments like the Super 18. Kriel says the time in Japan was beneficial for his body and he is now training to maintain an adequate strength and fitness level.

Health24’s Biokinetics and fitness expert, Habib Noorbhai, says that players can easily pick up an injury if the technique of the exercises are not administered correctly.

“Players are required to get fit and strong in order to prevent injury,” says Noorbhai.

Kriel agrees and says that in addition this his training programme also focuses on minimising recovery time because “when you can recover as quickly as possible that’s when you can perform at your best”.

Read: Preventing rugby injuries on the field

Watch this video for more on Kriel’s current preparation for the Super 18 season:

Good nutrition

“Diet and nutrition [also] plays a massive role in fitness,” says Kriel. He mentions “chicken, sweet potato and vegetables” as among the staple foods in his diet.

Supplementing correctly is also key to good nutrition, adds Kriel, who is a brand ambassador for Cipla Nutrition.

Buy now: Jesse only uses Cipla Nutrition sports supplements

Learn more about his diet and supplements in the video below:

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