Jean Kleyn's Rugby Journey Turnaround

Jean Kleyn, the South African lock, is unlikely to secure a spot in the lineup for this Saturday's Rugby World Cup final. Nevertheless, as a member of the 33-man squad, he is astounded by the remarkable turn of events in his career over the past few months. Thanks to World Rugby's revised eligibility rules, Kleyn participated in the World Cup for the Springboks in France, four years after representing Ireland at the previous tournament in Japan.

Originally hailing from Johannesburg, Kleyn played for the Stormers in Super Rugby before making the move from South Africa to join Irish club Munster in mid-2016. After three years, rugby's residency rules made him eligible to play for Ireland in time for the World Cup in Japan. He participated in three warm-up tests and two matches during the tournament but was never selected again.

A rule change by World Rugby in 2021 introduced a provision that allowed test-capped players to represent a second national team if they were eligible after a three-year period of inactivity with their original country and had a successful season with Munster in the United Rugby Championship. Suddenly, Kleyn found himself in contention for the Springboks.

Reflecting on his incredible journey, Kleyn expressed his astonishment, "I think I've caught myself thinking about it probably too often. It's a strange one because if you asked me six months ago if I had at all thought that I had any chance of being here at a World Cup final and playing for the Springboks, I would have told you, 'You're absolutely insane.' I'll probably wake up when it's all said and done and think, 'Was that a dream or did that actually happen?'"

He continued, "It's been a fantastic journey for me. It's been brilliant to have been part of the squad. To be honest, it's one of the best groups of players that I've ever had the pleasure of playing with, working with, and knowing."

Kleyn emphasized his admiration for the entire team, stating, "From players to staff to the medical team to the coaches, they're all great people, and they put in the hard work. They're passionate about the game and passionate about South Africa. It's been an absolute pleasure being a part of it."

At a press conference on Monday, the 30-year-old Kleyn was humorously dubbed "the first Irishman to reach a World Cup final." Reflecting on his transition from Irish rugby to the Springboks, he remarked, "I thought there would be quite a negative reaction when I played for the Springboks given my history with the Irish media. I figured there would be a few negative articles, but it was really positive, and I was really happy about that. It's made it a lot easier for me."