VIDEO: Good news - Jean Kleyn's return is 'imminent'
South Africa’s dwindling second row stocks will soon receive a significant boost.
Munster coach Graham Rowntree revealed that World Cup-winning lock Jean Kleyn is on the verge of returning to the playing field.
The 31-year-old, who made his Springbok debut in the build-up to last year’s World Cup in France after representing Ireland at the 2019 event, suffered an injury while playing for Munster in the United Rugby Championship in November.
That was his first game back for the province, having played a crucial role for South Africa as they won a record fourth World Cup crown – beating the All Blacks 12-11 in the Final in Paris in October.
At the time of the injury in November, Munster ruled him out until the New Year.
However, that soon became ‘for the rest of the season’.
It was later revealed that he had gone to see a specialist in America, with speculation surfacing that the injury may be even more serious that Munster had let on.
However, he is now ready to return.
“Imminently,” Rowntree said, when asked about Kleyn’s progress to full recovery.
(Article continues below the Rowntree interview …)
He added that Kleyn is ‘tracking well’ towards featuring in the first Round of the URC – when Munster hosts Connacht in an all-Irish derby in Limerick on September 21.
Asked for clarity around the injury, Rowntree told @rugby365com that it is only the eye injury still keeping him on the sideline.
It was initially reported that a knee injury that sidelined him, which Rowntree dismissed.
“He has had a procedure,” the Munster coach said about a trip to the United States to see a specialist.
“He still has some ‘return to contact’ and complete a full week’s training.
“It looks like it is all on schedule for URC [Week] One.”
Kleyn will not feature for the Boks in the remained of the Rugby Championship – when they face Argentina at Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades, in Santiago, on September 21 (the date of his URC return) and a week later at the Mbombela Stadium, in Nelspruit.
However, he will come into the selection frame for the year-end tour – when South Africa face Scotland, England and Wales on successive weekends.
Recently Salmaan Moerat and RG Snyman missed the Rugby Championship Round Three and Four matches at Ellis Park and Cape Town.
Other names on the second row injury list include Franco Mostert (leg fracture) and Lood de Jager (rotator cuff).
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