South African midfielder Jesse Kriel is set to return to action in time for Saturday when his Yokohama Cannon Eagles take on Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynapurs in the Japan Premiership Rugby League.
The two-time World Cup winner has been sidelined since January after undergoing surgery on his thumb, but will return for the final three matches of the regular season. He will start on the bench at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Stadium.
The Cannon Eagles currently sit in fourth place in the league, good enough to reach the semi-finals next May.
However, with a clash with unbeaten league leaders Saitama Wild Knights still to come for the Cannon Eagles, it means positive results are becoming more and more essential in Saturday's showdown with ninth-placed Dinoboar and sixth-placed Toyota Verblitz the following week. .
Fortunately for a team chasing a top four finish, the ability to add 68 Springbok caps to their matchday squad is a useful addition.
Creel has vowed to recover as quickly as possible after his operation, and is now back to have a major role in the outcome of his team's season.
This is also a huge boost for South Africa, with a series with Ireland in July looming. Kriel will be fully fit by the time they host the world number two Springboks.
Canon of Eagles XV
1. Chango Ahn
2. Shunta Nakamura
3. Ryusuke Iwaihara
4. Lyakimatagi Molly
5. Matthew Philip
6. Cobus van Dijk
7. Naoto Shimada
8. Amanaki Lilimavi
9. Koki Arai
10. Yu Tamura
11. Masayoshi Takizawa
12. Yusuke Kajimura (centre)
13. Rohan Jans van Rensburg
14. William Takayawa
15. Junpei Ogura
Replacements
16. Yusuke Niwai
17. Takato Okabe
18. Tatsuro Sugimoto
19. Mitchell Brown
20. Sion Hlasili
21. Toshiki Amano
22. Jesse Creel
23. Enoch Burua
