The Boks have every right to pick Jean Kleyn, but was it necessary?
Other countries have long taken advantage of their stronger currencies to lure South African players to their shores.
Jean Kleyn rises high to claim the ball for Munster during the United Rugby Championship final against the Stormers last month. Picture: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
In the only surprise selection to the Springbok training squad that was named over the weekend ahead of a massive international season, Irish international lock Jean Kleyn was picked as the 41st member.
His selection is pending the outcome of an application filed by SA Rugby regarding his eligibility in terms of ‘regulation eight’ and based on birth right, and a decision is expected to be received soon.
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Johannesburg born Kleyn, who started his senior career with Western Province and the Stormers, was capped five times for Ireland during the 2019 World Cup but has not played for them since, and has been in top form recently, winning the United Rugby Championship with Munster.
The change to World Rugby’s eligibility laws was made back in 2021 and allows players who have represented other teams internationally to be selected for another international side if they meet strict criteria.
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Although never officially stated, it was thought that these changes were made primarily to allow players from the Pacific Islands, like Fiji, Samoa and Tonga, to be able to represent the country of their birth despite having played internationally for teams like the All Blacks and Australia.
This has been successful as players such as Malakai Fekitoa, Vaea Fifita and Charles Piutau, who all represented the All Blacks, as well as Israel Folau, who played for the Wallabies, have been able to switch allegiance back to Tonga.
They are not the only ones, as former All Blacks Seta Tamanivalu, Steven Luatua and Jeffrey Toomaga-Allen have been picked by Fiji and Samoa.
Taking advantage
Despite the Boks maybe not being the intended benefactor of the eligibility change, they have every right to take advantage of it if they so choose, especially when you consider the amount of South African born players that feature for other international teams around the world.
Other countries have long taken advantage of their stronger currencies to lure younger South African players to their shores with an eye on turning their allegiance, so it is only fair that SA can now bring them back.
The real question is if the Boks really needed to go through the hoops of trying to bring Kleyn back into the fold when they have left out deserved options like the Bulls’ Ruan Nortje and Leinster’s Jason Jenkins, who were both part of last season’s squad.
