Ireland rugby international Jean Kleyn named in South Africa squad

Munster’s Jean Kleyn has been named in the 40 man South African preliminary squad for the Rugby Championship which kicks off in a month. Having been deemed unlucky to miss the cut for Andy Farrell’s Ireland training squad named a fortnight ago now the second row has an outside chance of going to the show with his native country.

Kleyn will have to wait until World Rugby’s regulations committee sign off on his transfer from Ireland but that should be a formality given he satisfies the criteria, both through birth and the stand down period of three years. His fifth and final involvement with Ireland was for Joe Schmidt’s squad in the World Cup in Japan in 2019.

“When approached I was blown away with this opportunity to be a part of the Springbok squad,” he said. “I could not pass up on it when it was offered.

“Munster has shaped me as a person and player. It’s where I have built a life with my young family but to be offered this opportunity by my home country is an honour I never thought I would receive.

“The last three weeks have been the dream here at Munster. To fight through a brutal season and play week in week out, has been a high point of my career. As a team we continued to believe alongside our coaches, and against the odds succeeded.”

Kleyn is one of four locks named in the Springbok squad, which assembles tomorrow (Sunday). Their first Rugby Championship game is against the Wallabies on July 8. Their World Cup squad will be named on August 8 and if the likelihood is for three second rows in that latter group, with loose forward Pieter Steph du Toit doubling up, then Kleyn is an outside bet.

Moreover it’s understood Rassie Erasmus might opt to send a virtual B team for the away leg of the Rugby Championship, in Auckland in the second round, in which case he might be filling a gap. Either way Kleyn’s form with Munster is a good starting point, whatever his place in the pecking order.

Meanwhile Ireland’s under 20s have wrapped up a successful few days in Treviso where they beat Italy yesterday 45-24. The 30 man group were all given game time. Coach Richie Murphy will name his squad on Wednesday for the World Cup in South Africa, running from 24 June to 12 July. It will be the first tournament since the pandemic and Ireland will go there as back to back Six Nations Grand Slam champions.