WHEN RASSIE ERASMUS first got in touch with Jean Kleyn out of the blue to ask him if he wanted to come and play for the Springboks, there was one catch.
“I’m about to screw up your holiday,” Erasmus told the Munster lock.
Kleyn had been all set to enjoy some time off in the summer following Munster’s URC success and having been overlooked for Ireland’s wider World Cup training squad.
But when Erasmus offered him the chance to switch allegiance back to his native South Africa, a break was off the cards. Kleyn was straight into camp with the Springboks as they began preparing for the Rugby Championship, which led into the World Cup.
On Saturday night, with his World Cup winner’s medal around his neck, Kleyn laughed about that first call from Erasmus.
“He definitely screwed up my holiday but he gave me an opportunity I never thought I’d have,” said Kleyn.
“I’m incredibly grateful to Rassie and Jacques [Nienaber], the entire coaching team for believing in me and giving me this opportunity, and all my teammates. It’s been such a privilege and a pleasure being part of this amazing dream.”
While Kleyn’s gratitude is strong, it should be said that he grabbed his opportunity with both hands.
He wouldn’t be a World Cup winner had he not settled into life with the Boks so quickly, leading to his involvement off the bench in the final win over New Zealand at Stade de France on Saturday.
“It was as easy as anything, it was riding a bike,” said Kleyn of coming into the camp so soon before the World Cup. “It was coming home.
“I’d known a lot of the lads for years, I’d played with a lot of them at the Stormers and played against them as well.
“It was really very easy for me, the guys made it incredibly easy. They were very accepting. It was all positive from the start. All credit to the team, I couldn’t have been there without them.”
It was also important that Kleyn had support from Munster, who have been proud to see him achieving on the global stage after becoming such a key man for the province in recent years.
The door never reopened with Ireland after Kleyn won five caps in the green jersey in 2019, but he has seized his chance with the Springboks.
While Kleyn has been struck by the sheer scale of the support from the nation of South Africa, he has also benefitted from lots of encouragement from those in Ireland.
“I haven’t checked my phone, but to be honest it was very tough keeping track of everything before I started,” he said on Saturday.
“Listen, the support from home as I call it – Limerick is my home now – is incredible and I wouldn’t have been able to do this without the support I’ve received, it’s been unreal.”
He has no doubt that the coaching of Graham Rowntree, Mike Prendergast, Denis Leamy, and co. has been crucial to making him a better player and therefore helping him to convince Erasmus that he could be a Springbok.
“All credit to them,” said Kleyn. “The way they coach, the system they’ve implemented. It showed in the URC final, in the way we turned our season around at the death, after seven games and we brought it back and ended up winning.
“You don’t see that often, it shows that everything they’re doing is working. There’s massive buy-in, massive belief at Munster as well. It’s endemic to Munster now, it’s part of our culture, our belief. We’re there to win trophies.”
Kleyn is looking forward to getting back to life with Munster once the celebrations die down, but he will throw himself into that side of things as the Springboks prepare for a four-day trophy tour in South Africa after flying out from France today.
This is an endpoint for this version of the Springboks as the likes of Nienaber and Felix Jones move on, as well as some of the veteran players, but Kleyn will hope to have many more memorable experiences in South African colours.
“There will always be changes, the wheel turns and some of the older players fall out and the younger players come in,” said Kleyn.
“We saw what the younger players have, we’ve got Canan Moodie who is 20-years-old and a phenom.
“There’s probably one guy in every position in South Africa waiting to fill a role. The future is bright for South African rugby.”
it must kill TV3 to have to show 35 mins without adds
It’s worse people in Mayo think they will win the all Ireland !!! Not a chance , the Up the Dubs :)
London provided Mayo with a stiffer challenge than Donegal
Jimmys losing matches…
Jimmy Horan’s winning matches
If you look very carefully, you will see some football between the adverts on TV3
ad free on BBC2
Has to be the best display from Mayo I have ever seen,don’t know what Donegal can do about it.
Can we get an interview we Mark McHughs Dad now please? I remember he arrogantly quoted last year – “This is how you win football nowadays” while jeering Corks way of playing! I am delighted, as predicted, that muck and Donegal were a flash in the pan! Best of luck to Kerry, Dublin and Mayo most likely, teams that play stylish football! One of ye do Tyrone Rugby Club!
Diarmuid he was on bbc just now (adds on tv3 surprisingly) and spoke well. no excuses , and god knows his bbc colleague interviewing him offered him plenty and he didn’t take them
And how did cork do yesterday maybe they should have listened to Mc Hugh.
Ah, 3 teams playing stylish attacking football are in the semis with one rugby team, I’d say McHugh was wrong wouldn’t you? It was attacking v attacking last night and we lost as Dublin were the better team so I am failing to see your point Damien sorry?
Remind me again how did cork do?They went man to man and lost!!! Martin Mc Hugh pointed out that way of playing is very outdated that’s why cork lost. Just to let you know defending is also part of the game, the beautiful Kerry played 14 men behind the ball today against Cavan at times. Mayo won every battle today and fair play to them best team won.
Why are you so hung up on cork? Dublin went man to man and won? Seriously your argument is piss poor. Just accept defensive football is horrible crap that does not work long term that teams with real quality do not play, and quality will always win out eventually!
Colm O’Rourke: “Cork must be the most unloved team in the whole country. Their own supporters won’t even come up to Croke Park.”
Dublin do have a system!!! Cork don’t well they kinda do hoof it in long dinosaur stuff. Watch the game again if you can’t spot how dublin play I will spell it out for you.
Mayo look impressive, Donegal looked tired . It’s men against boys at the minute
Aiden o’Shea is a beast
Now that’s how you give a team a shitkicking.
Good night and good luck Donegal with your s##t football. Delighted for the good of football.
Scoreline is a bit embarrassing but mayo are playing some lovely football.
Dublin v Mayo final? Would have the makings of a classic. Beautiful blanket attack football.
That would be the best final in living memory I’d say
Did Dublin not win the all Ireland with a big blanket.
Your mistaken it was a magic carpet
Donegal have re-invented football they said, Jimmys winning matches they said! Lol, 6 points down after 7 mins!
Yes indeed Diarmaid. As both of us said last year, all that talk was patent blather and Donegal’s trash-football would be found out for the empty shell it was. Glad it happened so soon!
Jimmy can now go full time with Celtic
Jimmy horan moving to rangers next year?!
lets hope its the end of the road for the puke footballers from donegal
Watching puke football being flushed down the toilet pleases me immensely…….well done Mayo, still half an hour to go as well, lol
Lets be honest here. Dubhlin, Kerry and Mayo getting praised for playing blanket defensive football and breaking with pace. Seem to remember a certain northern team getting slated for that. hypocrisy springs to mind here.
a “certain” northern team, you mean every northern team “playing” like that Seamus as it was a “style” invented by a northern team and copied throughout that province. I sincerely hope this “style” of play and cynical attitude to football is finally put to bed by Mayo dishing out a similar embarassing rout of Tyrone in the semi. Football ABU :-)
Unfortunately Niall, they are all copying that template now. Kerry today had 15 behind the ball every time Cavan attacked. A certain Pat Spillane coined the phrase puke football when Tyrone won the All Ireland playing that system. Fair play to Mayo I hope they win the All Ireland, they have been knocking on the door long enough now.
I disagree Seamus and in fairness to Kerry they have been burned by most as regards to coping with playing against the “puke” system, they are still a class team of footballers just like Mayo and Dublin at present. I would agree though that it would be nice to see Mayo win an All-Ireland but as a true blue Dub I obviously hope not this year unless of course its Kerry they meet in the final.
Come on Mayo!!
Mayo by 3 to 5 points!!
If Conor Mortimer is in form mayo can do it
That lad was great in his day at falling…
You meant 35 points didnt you? :)
Come on Mayo!
3 football teams and Tyrone rugby league club left. Hopefully a football team win Sam.
lovely positive football from mayo hopefully the death knell for northern negative crap football
Worst champions ever.
Disgraced Gaelic football with their cynicism and negative tactics. Getting they’re just desserts now.
Enjoy it Jim!
Worst champions ever? Disgraced?Leave the hysterics to the tabloids.
What hysterics? Its a fact. I can’t remember the defending champions ever getting such a hiding.
This will be some game!. Best of luck to both teams.
Donegal will need to seriously up their performance level, haven’t played well since the Tyrone game
Feel physically sick as a Donegal fan watching this
I sincerely hope mayo win it this year.
Unbelievable performance
Jaysus Donegal need a strong last 7 minutes ….
That was disgraceful from McGee, he shouldn’t be let on a GAA pitch again. That sums up McGuinness’ Donegal: nasty, bitter, negative, violent. If I was from Donegal, I’d be ashamed of this shower.
Oh dear, this is painful. But on the bright side, Donegal people support their team unlike the cork supporters.
Ha ha ha! That is the comment of a loser if ever there was one! And a clueless one at that!
The truth hurts buddy. Insult me all you like.
I’m not hurt at all, I know Cork football doesn’t get the support it should but there are reasons which Cork people know of, hence why you are “clueless”! I am thrilled that as predicted that muck was a flash in the pan! And to think of the arrogant drivel Donegal folk were blabbering on with last year! Great day for football!
Great support alright, 10 minutes into the second half and Donegal supporters are leaving…
Somewhere in Glasgow, an admin secretary prints off a p45!
Donegal supporters support their team?? They’ve been leaving in droves since half time!!
Donegal supporters walking out of croke park after an hour. Or do they only support their team when they’re winning?
twomey
You need to show a bit of class mate.
Did you notice how the Donegal folk are not making excuses? You could learn a thing or two from their example – judging from your comments yesterday.
Wasting your time on Diarmaid there d. He’s been a troll on every Donegal thread this last two years. I actually quite enjoy him. I think he is secretly in love with Jim. He will turn his bitterness towards Tyrone now.
@Pauric, “Follow the yellow brick road, Follow the yellow brick road, follow follow follow follow follow the yellow brick road”, have seen Donegal fans do this on numerous occasions leaving their seats trampling on the yellow steps towards the exits out of Croker when the going gets tough. Football ABU :-)
D, it’s amazing and pathetic in equal amounts how you’re offended by me having craic with dubs, even Niall there will contest that it was all banter. Go on away home with yourself and stick with the rallying kid! Football won today. Hon ta f**k mayo.
He is a troll on every thread…be careful..he will stalk your twitter/facebook. Word of warning people. is their a twitter police??
Colm O’Rourke: “Cork must be the most unloved team in the whole country. Their own supporters won’t even come up to Croke Park.”
Real shame – they might have shaded the game last year v Donegal and went on to win Sam but I hardly saw a cork fan anywhere around me. Internet warriors.
can we please stop tv3 having anything to do with the championship the commentary is woeful. bring back Spillane and brolly
BBC2 show the games too. Far better than tv3!
Has Jimmy given too much attention to Celtic and not enough to Donegal?
Hahahahaha that will shut the Donegal big mouths up!!!!
Mayo for sam!!!!
Up the Dubs
Go away you half witted imbicile !
Oh sorry up Dublin ;) !!!!!!!!!
Ah come on people you all know Dublin is going to win the all Ireland Up the Dubs .
Football is winning the day, good riddance to Donegal & their negative style,no point in wee Jimmy crying about his lovely boys needing to be protected!
Your team are getting a hammering and need your support now more then ever and what do you do? Up it and leave. What a joke.
Thanks to TV3′s shots at half time, we know now that Enda changed his beloved Nokia :)
Fell down the toilet I hear
jimmys losing matches
How did Mcquillan get another game this year? Worst ref in the Country!
Try http://www.firstrowsports.eu and click on “other sports” Also on sky bbc Northern Ireland
This is beautifully painful viewing to watch for Donegal brand of football. Dub fan
Aidan you must not have been watching the Kerry v Cavan match! If you think this is a bad match
I only saw the last 15 minutes of the Kerry game. Sounds like I got off lightly. This game is very scrappy but Mayo half forward line very impressive
Donegal still drunk from last year. Really poor.
Great for football! All the talk of defensive styles ruling these days but yet we have the 3 most attacking and attractive teams in the semis now. Hard to pick a winner from Dubs, Kerry or Mayo. Don’t write off Tyrone either!
Wonder will brolly have a horn on him for this one, Monaghan love a tackle
Oops, Donegal, sorry :)
Jim will now bring his plan into action now, attack the mayo manager ha ha ha
Donegal need a big second half….and a miracle……
Jimmys losen matches jimmys on the dole . Donegal will never have sam again..
Some fouling in it
Jim’s cunning plan a quick dash to dublin airport flight to Glasgow
Well done Mayo. That well & truly was a hammering.
Don’t worry donegal Jim has a cunning plan ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Jim’s cunning plan should be to shut his crazy hole for a few minutes and give us a little peace.
Jaysus Donegal need an inspirational team talk from Eileen Drewery at half time!!
I blame the ref !!!!! Up the Dubs
I wonder what excuses Jimmy mc will come up with? Will he be crying about his players getting boo boos from tackles?
Worst game I’ve seen for years
Are you talking about the previous match or this one, Aidan? ‘Cause as far as I can see Mayo are playing some lovely football & scoring great kicks!
Mayo v dub for final, go on mayo!
Watch BBC2 And turn on Radio Commentary. and Mayo are slaughtering Donegal 4-12 to 0-4 my oh my.
In usa any link i can watch it
Anyone got a link?
who was the halftime band?
Who was the band that played at half?