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Kleyn bombshell Rassie's first World Cup shot at Ireland
If everything goes as planned, Ireland lock Jean Kleyn could switch international allegiance after he was selected to join the Springboks’ Rugby Championship training squad.
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Kleyn was born in South Africa and qualified to play for Ireland through residency grounds in September 2019.
He played five Tests for Ireland which included the 2019 World Cup.
Kleyn has not played for Ireland since the 2020 Six Nations and his latest omission from the squad named by head coach Andy Farrell seems to have left the door open for the Springboks to lure him back to the Republic.
The 29-year-old’s admission to the Bok team is depending on the outcome of an application filed by the South African Rugby Union (SARU) regarding the former Stormers lock’s eligibility in terms of Regulation 8 and based on birthright.
The decision is expected to be received soon.
Kleyn’s inclusion in the Boks training squad was certainly a big shock, but simultaneously a stroke of genius by the Springbok management.
The Munster lock has delivered some really impressive performances this season and he was named Munster’s player of the season. He was integral to Munster’s United Rugby Championship title success – beating his former side the Stormers in the Final last month.
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Despite his incredible form, the Johannesburg-born forward was still snubbed by the Irish coach Andy Farrell, which left many Irish supporters far from happy in the north.
But Ireland’s loss might be South Africa’s gain.
It is clear that the Springbok management holds Kleyn in high regard. In 2016, Kleyn was the first high-profile signing made by former Munster head coach Rassie Erasmus, who is currently South Africa’s Director of Rugby.
Kleyn faced fierce competition, with Lodewyk de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, Marvin Orie and Rudolf Snyman, along with utility forwards Pieter-Steph du Toit and Franco Mostert all very accomplished in the position.
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However one thing is sure, Kleyn’s inclusion in the Boks training squad has fired the first shot and added extra fuel to the fire of what will be a highly contested Pool B in the World Cup, where the defending champions South Africa have been drawn in the same pool as Ireland, along with Scotland, Tonga and Romania.
Popular Munster opinion setter Tim O’Connor summed up the frustration of many Munster were feeling when news of the move broke on Saturday.
“So, that’s Ben Healy and Jean Kleyn both frozen out, for no remotely explicable or justifiable reason in Kleyn’s case, and Ireland’s RWC pool opponents diving in to benefit,” wrote O’Connor on Twitter. “That bet on cohesion better pay off, put it that way… The country with the strongest stock of locks on earth enthusiastically availing of the stand-out TH lock in Irish rugby, but, sure, why would we need a big unit who relentlessly cleans the contact area? It’s not like players like that win trophi… Oh.”
Picking a player that your opponent doesn't want isn't much of a first shot. More like a little wet ball of paper blown out of an empty Bic Flick.
“So, that’s Ben Healy and Jean Kleyn both frozen out, for no remotely explicable or justifiable reason in Kleyn’s case“
It’s almost like there are second rows playing better on teams that didn’t win, by this logic Rhys Ruddock should be on 50 caps but he’s not because there were better back rowers at the time.
It used to be the case that southern hemisphere players who weren't needed by their national sides switched allegiance to the north.
Now times have changed, and attempts my Munster and SA fans to spin this as a win for the Boks are just showing how out of touch they are.
Kleyn was in great form but the grand slam winning coaching team didn’t fancy him so best of luck to him. It’s called selection and the picking of a squad rarely pleases everyone. Munster fans can give out all they’d want but that’s how things go. Ben Healy was hardly frozen out. He was third choice in Munster when he decided to go. A fact that I’d wager played a big part in his decision. So playing for Ireland was a bit off for him.