Jean Kleyn has said that, for him, the call to represent South Africa at the 2023 World Cup came ‘out of the blue.’
Having qualified for Ireland through residency grounds, the Munster lock represented Ireland at the 2019 World Cup in Japan and subsequently in the 2020 Six Nations.
He fell out of favour following that tournament, however, failing to add to his five Ireland caps in the aftermath.
Kleyn did impress for Munster in their URC triumph earlier this year though, leading to speculation that Andy Farrell would recall him to the Irish squad.
Farrell opted against it and in the mean-time, back in June, Rassie Erasmus re-called Kleyn to the South African fold.
The 30-year-old returned to the Springboks squad for this summer’s Rugby Championship, where the Boks faced off against familiar foes in the All Blacks, Wallabies and Argentina.
He then made it onto their World Cup panel, and played a key role in their triumph, featuring for the full game against Romania, before playing 33 minutes against Ireland and a further 23 in Saturday’s victory over the All Blacks.
The 30-year-old said afterwards that winning a World Cup with South Africa is a ‘little boy’s dream.’
“It is an incredible thing to be a part of,” he said.
“I don’t think there is a country in the world that puts so much into a World Cup, it means so much to the people.”
“Rassie [Erasmus] said a few weeks ago, it is a sign of a really good team if you win the matches you are not supposed to win.
“Last week was definitely a match that we won at the death. I think today we earned it, quarter-finals we earned it. The belief in the team is immense and I don’t think for one minute we thought would lose that match,” he said.
Kleyn, who helped Munster defeat his former side the Stormers in the URC final in Cape Town back in May, said that he had ‘zero expectations’ when first speaking to Erasmus, but said that it was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.
“I had zero expectations [when first speaking to Rassie], I just thought it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. What a privilege to be able to play for my country of birth. It’s a little boy’s dream,” he said.
Munsterman Jean Kleyn talks to @TommyMartinVM about his journey to becoming a World Cup champion with South Africa pic.twitter.com/fa9IQV0jNB
— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) October 29, 2023
Kleyn didn’t start any of the Springboks’ knock-out clashes but says that ‘not being selfish about it epitomises this team.’
“You buy into the plan … not being selfish about it, that epitomises this team. We are all here for the same thing.”
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