Same job, different jersey says new Bok
SPOTLIGHT: Springbok lock Jean Kleyn might be on his way to the World Cup for South Africa on Saturday, but the towering lock is not ready to bid Munster farewell yet.
The 29-year-old former Linden Hoërskool pupil calls Limerick home these days after he made the move to Munster in 2016 following a call from Rassie Erasmus, who was coaching at Thomond Park.
Kleyn got another call from Erasmus this year in May, inviting him to the Springboks training camp.
But if South African franchises had the mindset to lure the 2.03m lock back to his home country, they will have to wait another year or so.
Speaking to Kleyn after the World Cup squad announcement, he told Rugby365 that he still had another year left on his contract with Munster.
“When Rassie phoned me back in 2016, I was 22 years old, and I didn’t have anything tying me down at the time in terms of family and such,” Kleyn said.
“So I said I would take the chance and see how it panned out, and maybe come back or go somewhere else.
“It worked out and three years later I was in the Irish squad and I’ve been at Munster for seven years now. I’ve got another year left of my contract and hopefully I can stay a bit longer.
“It is sort of home away from home now.
“My wife is Irish and we have a six-month-old son, so I would be delighted if we could stay there for a few more years.
“And if I can stay here [with the Springboks] for a few more years, I would be very happy about that as well,” the tall man explained.
Kleyn said back when he got the call-up to the Irish squad, it was a massive honour to represent Ireland and at the time it was an incredibly big thing.
“And now I get to represent the country of my birth. It is your home country.”
Kleyn earned five caps for Ireland in 2019 after qualifying on residency rule but was able to switch allegiance for the second time after his stand-down period exceeded the required three years.
Since his move to Munster, his brother and parents have also moved there, which makes coming back to South Africa even more difficult.
And that is why he never even thought there would be a remote chance to represent his country at some stage.
“To be honest I didn’t think South Africa was on the cards at all.
“It was a bit of a shock when I got a call from Rassie at the end of May after the [URC] Final. So literally from that day it’s been my prime focus and it’s what I’ve devoted the last two months to.
“I don’t think it was really on the cards for me for 2023, because obviously I hadn’t been involved with Ireland for a few years. And I also didn’t think this opportunity would come by.
“From my perspective I’m delighted.
“I said from the start I am just going to do my very best and play my game. I figured the reason why Rassie called me up was because of the game I play. So I wasn’t going to try anything different, I was just going to play my game and be me.
“And thankfully I did well enough in the opportunities I got to prove that I deserve a spot here, which is fantastic for me.
“I think I played reasonably well and I left the jersey in a good condition. I think that is always the big thing, when you put the jersey on, always leave it in a better place.”
And to be an understudy to one of the best locks in the world, Eben Etzebeth, is the icing on the cake of Kleyn.
“I think Eben is well past ‘on the way to becoming a Bok legend’. No look, Eben is the best tighthead lock in the world and if I’m playing second fiddle to the best in the world, I am not doing too badly.
“He is a fantastic player and I think he showed his class and his quality against Argentina again with the performance he had.”
Kleyn said the job of a tighthead lock hasn’t changed since he played for Ireland.
“Same job, just a different colour jersey.”
