Jean Kleyn joined Gloucester with a plan to awaken a sleeping giant and thereby reclaim his place in the world champion Springbok squad. For some, it was the very definition of wishful thinking.
The Kingsholm outfit had finished eighth or lower in the Gallagher PREM in three of the previous four seasons and reached the play-offs only once since 2011.
As for the Investec Champions Cup, they had not made even a quarter-final since 2008 and needed the last of eight places available to English clubs just to get into this season’s competition.
Today Gloucester sit top of the league and are in buoyant mood. Last Friday they scored five tries to deny Union Bordeaux Bègles, winners of the last two Champions Cup, a winning start to their latest title defence.
Bath visit Kingsholm
With arch-rivals Bath in town tomorrow and the Springboks due to name their squad for the autumn leg of the Nations Championship on Monday, Kleyn has a smile on his face.
“I came over with the mindset of wanting to help, in whatever way I could and it’s been an immensely positive experience,” says the long-time Munster lock.
“We’re in no way the finished product, by no means are we perfect, but we’ve got a lot of intent around everything we do.
“You saw that against Bordeaux. I don’t think they were expecting us to want it as much as we did. The lads stepped up and showed real bravery.
“We’re really eager to make something happen this season. And hopefully I can impress the [Springbok] coaches enough to get another nod and make myself a contender for the World Cup next year.”
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At 6’8 and 19 stone Kleyn is a giant of a man, which makes it something of a surprise that he has come in under the radar, with fellow new recruits Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake garnering much of the attention.
You can be sure two-time World Cup-winning Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus has taken note, however.
Erasmus brought ‘JK’ to Munster back in 2016, beginning a 10-year association between player and province which led him to be capped by Ireland, under residency grounds.
He then selected the Jo’burger for South Africa in 2023 when World Rugby updated its eligibility rules allow players to switch national teams. He likes the cut of his jib and the feeling is mutual.
“I’d love to be involved this autumn,” admits Kleyn, who missed the southern hemisphere leg of the new competition after popping a biceps tendon at the end of April.
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“It’s very tough to encapsulate what the Springboks jersey means to me. It’s more than just international rugby, that jersey means everything to people that never get the chance to wear it, because the Springboks are a team that truly unites the nation.
“There was an economic upturn in South Africa after we won the World Cup. Seriously! It genuinely makes a massive difference in the country when the Springboks play well.”
They have done that for a while now, having been world champions for 2,546 days, dating back to 2 November 2019. The question for Kleyn, at 33 years of age, is whether he can make it to next year’s tournament in Australia.
“I don’t think it’s ever been Rassie’s outlook on rugby that age is part of the equation,” he says, aware lock rivals Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager are both older than him.
“He’s more concerned with mobility and competency. If you’re older than the next fella but can still perform at his level, then I think you’re in the conversation.”
The most pressing concern for Kleyn is that Gloucester perform against Bath. Last time in the league they lost at Leicester despite finishing the stronger to bag two bonus points.
“I think we got maybe a touch complacent that week,” he reflects. “The first two weeks went well for us and maybe we thought we’d done more than we had.
“Complacency is the kind of mistake you only make once a season, so hopefully we’ve had our slip up and that’s in the past now.
“We’re raring to go, the coaches have teed us up well with the training week and hopefully we can go in with tons of energy and hunger to keep the win at home.”
Poor run v Bath
It is four years since Gloucester last beat Bath in the league. Since beating the men from the Rec twice in 2022 – most notably a 64-0 thumping at Castle Grim – they have lost all seven PREM encounters.
Kleyn believes the backing of a full house and the team in the mood they are can turn the tide. For the West Terrace at Thomond Park, read The Shed.
“At Munster we referred to our crowd as the 16th man and it is something very similar we have here,” he says. “When you’re out there and the fans are behind you, you really feel them, they’re a presence on the pitch with you.
“It genuinely makes a difference. It eggs you on to be braver and to fight harder. You saw that with the way we finished against Bordeaux. The boys put in a serious shift.
“Like at Munster the supporters really love the sport for what it is. They live for their rugby. It’s brilliant to be part of another club which means so much to its people.”