“You can never have enough locks,” Rassie Erasmus said sagely as he explained Jean Kleyn’s inclusion in the Springbok training squad in preparation for the Rugby Championship.
Kleyn’s call-up, which is still subject to World Rugby ratification, caught most by surprise when the Boks unveiled their 41-man training group last weekend. The most surprising part of it was the reversal of roles in which the Boks this time stand to benefit from a player completing the hard yards to Test rugby in the northern hemisphere.
Kleyn earned his Ireland call-up on the cusp of the 2019 Rugby World Cup and played just five Tests for his adopted country. The fallout from another early RWC exit hit hard, though Kleyn didn’t feature in the misadventure that saw Ireland being eliminated in 2019.
He hasn’t featured in Ireland coach Andy Farrell’s plans.
Kleyn, however, has been a workhorse for Munster and arguably enjoyed his best season for the province as they closed in on a maiden United Rugby Championship title.
Kleyn was immense in the semifinal and final.
“To have JK here is special because he’s had a great season,” said Kleyn’s Munster lock partner RG Snyman. “I think he started every game for Munster and also the way he plays speaks for itself, it’s great to have him here. I’m glad he’s been recognised for that.”
One of the men who recognised him was Erasmus, SA Rugby's director of rugby. He explained how the amendment in World Rugby’s Regulation 8, which deals with player eligibility, helped smooth the path to Kleyn’s call-up.
Jean Kleyn is a monster of a guy and he’s played with RG Snyman. We coached him at Munster having come right through the South African structures. He’s won the URC and he knows most of the players.
— Rassie Erasmus, SA director of rugby
Before Regulation 8 changed, Erasmus and Co had opportunity to give their input. They voted against a relaxation of the rule, but World Rugby adopted an amendment that makes it easier for players to change national allegiance.
“We thought, ‘how can we benefit from this?’ When we saw that we put a guy like Jean on our radar and started monitoring him. He knew he would be available,” explained the ever wily Erasmus.
A high work-rate and sheer physical presence helped Kleyn convince the men who matter.
“Jean Kleyn is a monster of a guy and he’s played with RG Snyman. We coached him at Munster having come right through the South African structures. He’s won the URC and he knows most of the players,” said Erasmus.
He explained while the second row seems to be a congested area for the Boks, looks can be deceiving.
With a game that places a high premium on physicality the Boks need personnel, especially in the second row, who can throw their weight around. That at times comes at a price, but the Bok brains trust is not about to be caught with their tracksuit pants down.
“Because of the way we play our locks bring a lot of physicality. That is the way we play the game. We felt we never had enough guys there,” said Erasmus. “We lost Lood [de Jager] in the final of the last RWC in the 20th minute and we sent ‘Sous’ [Franco Mostert] on.”
De Jager writhing in pain as he departed the scene was one of the more arresting sights in that final against England, but thankfully for the Boks they had adequate cover.
Fast forward four years Eben Etzebeth is still recovering from a shoulder injury and will only be available halfway through the Rugby Championship.
What will no doubt help the Boks’ cause is the return to fitness of Snyman. He too has become a more complete player while in Ireland. Snyman now also calls the Munster line-out, which is a useful ‘add-on’ for the Boks.
They are likely go to the RWC lock, stock, with appropriate barrels.
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