Battered and bruised, but Bok Jean Kleyn is firmly on the comeback train

The World Cup winner has been through a torrid time. Last season saw Kleyn sidelined with knee and eye injuries before finally tearing his quad on Bok duty on the end-of-year tour.

After nearly five months of rest and rehabilitation, the towering figure made a return to rugby last week when he came off the bench for Munster, playing 24 minutes in their United Rugby Championship win over Connacht.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner this week, Kleyn reflected on the ebbs and flows of professional rugby and inevitable injuries.

"Yeah, 2024, three ops, it's a long year," quipped the 31-year-old.

"I think these things are cyclical, man. I honestly believe that's just the way rugby works. You have three or four good seasons or good years where everything is going well and you're playing game after game, you enjoy it and then it just takes one thing to set off a chain reaction.

"It was the same after 2019. Going into Christmas, I did my neck against Racing [92], and I was at the point where I thought, 'I don't even know if this is worth it anymore.'

"Then the global pandemic hit, and six months later, I'm back playing and this is the best thing ever. I got so much clarity through the pandemic about how enjoyable a profession it is to be a rugby player.

"It's the same now. I was saying to the boys there last week that it was the first week in months I was enjoying being a rugby player because when you're injured, it's just terrible.

"Then last week, just being part of it again, you just realise we're so blessed to be playing a sport we grew up playing as kids for fun as a profession. It's incredible. What a privilege.

"Injuries give a lot of perspective. You learn that as you progress throughout your career."

Now, Kleyn is preparing for arguably his biggest test since the 2023 Rugby World Cup final. Munster have the unenviable task of travelling to Stade Marcel-Deflandre for a Champions Cup date with two-time winners La Rochelle on Saturday. The loser gets knocked out.

"This weekend is what I've been working toward for the last five months," added the lock.

"That's where you started. You get an injury, and it's 'okay, so what's my timeline and when am I getting back?' And you go: 'That's the target.'"

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