Kriel attended Maritzburg College in Pietermaritzburg and was selected to represent KwaZulu-Natal at the Under-16 Grant Khomo Week competition in 2010.
Kriel started both their 37–21 defeat of Leopards U19 in the semi-final[4] and the final, where the Blue Bulls won 35–23 to win the title and go through the entire competition undefeated.
Kriel was named on the bench as South Africa once again met New Zealand in the semi-finals and helped his side to a 32–25 win[10] to qualify for their second ever final.
[17] At the conclusion of the competition, Kriel was initially named in a Varsity Cup Dream Team to play a friendly against the South African Under-20s,[18] but was subsequently withdrawn from the squad.
[20] He also started a further four matches for the Blue Bulls, which included their quarter final victory over a Free State XV[21] and their 6–10 defeat to Western Province in the semi-final.
[22] Kriel played two matches for the Blue Bulls U21s in the 2015 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A before being promoted to the senior squad for the 2015 Currie Cup Premier Division.