Bok lock Jean Kleyn hailed as Munster's best

The Johannesburg-born player has been a key part of the Munster setup since signing for the Irish giants in 2016. His early form led to a stint in the Irish jersey, but after falling out of favour, he was eligible to be selected by his home country for international duty.

Head coach Jacques Nienaber jumped at the opportunity, and now the lock is World Cup winner.

On the club rugby front, Kleyn helped Munster win the United Rugby Championship, edging the defending champion Stormers in the final in Cape Town earlier this year.

"Jean Kleyn enjoyed a memorable 2022/23 campaign which saw the second-row produce some of his best performances for Munster as the 30-year-old started 24 games throughout the season, more than anyone else in the squad," read a statement from the Irish club.

"This included a remarkable 19 consecutive starts in the second half of the season that culminated in Munster's URC title win. Jean was also awarded Player of the Match in the away victory over Edinburgh last season.

"He made his South Africa debut against Australia in July 2023 before¯helping the Springboks to World Cup glory in France,¯featuring in the final win over New Zealand last month."

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