Boks ready to unleash ‘monster’ Jean Kleyn

Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber are relishing the opportunity to deploy South African-born Ireland lock Jean Kleyn for the Springboks.

The 29-year-old played five Tests for Ireland after qualifying on residency grounds in September 2019, but the former DHL Stormers forward last played for Ireland on 12 October, 2019.

Addressing Kleyn’s selection this week in a Bok media conference, SA’s director rugby Erasmus told reporters: “He is a monster player who has played alongside RG [Snyman]. We often lose locks at the business end of campaigns due to the physical effort we request from them.

“When Regulation 8 was changed, we had a chance to give input, and we actually voted against that. And then World Rugby decided that you can change the national team that you play for. So we immediately started monitoring him as well and look what a brilliant year he has had for Munster. That made picking him easy.”

The door has opened for Kleyn to make his debut for SA in the Rugby Championship Test against Australia on 8 July, as centurion Eben Etzebeth won’t be available for the Test due to a shoulder injury.

“Jean knows the majority of the players from his days at the Stormers,” head coach Nienaber added. “He knows Siya [Kolisi] and Eben well. He has played with them. It is also the case with Frans Malherbe and Bongi [Mbonambi].

“So from a player’s perspective, Jean coming into the mix is no issue because he trusts them and they trust him.

“From a coaching point of view, Rassie and I coached him at the Stormers and then at Munster. In fact, it was Rassie who brought Jean over to Munster [from the Stormers].

“We coached him for two years, so we know what we have in Jean and what he can do for the Boks. That is why we put him on our radar the moment he slipped off the Ireland one.”