Jean Kleyn pays tribute to Bok teammates nominated for Player of the Year

The back-to-back world champions have three players up for the top gong that will be announced on Sunday in Monaco with Pieter-Steph du Toit, Cheslin Kolbe and Eben Etzebeth all vying for the award along with Ireland's Caelan Doris.

2024 is just the third time that three representatives from one country have been nominated for the award after the All Blacks had three players shortlisted in 2005 and 2011.

Etzebeth and Kolbe will feature in South Africa's final match of the year as Rassie Erasmus' charges tackle Wales at the Principality Stadium on Saturday while Du Toit has been ruled out of the fixture due to a shoulder niggle and has returned home early, meaning he is unlikely to be in attendance if he does win the award.

Kleyn, who will make his first appearance for the Springboks since the 2023 Rugby World Cup final, paid tribute to his teammates who are up for the award and reserved particularly high praise for his fellow lock Etzebeth who became South Africa's most-capped player of all time earlier this year.

"Three out of four is fantastic," Kleyn said when asked about his teammates' nominations.

"You look at the candidates, Cheslin is probably the best all-around rugby player in the world and then Pieter-Steph who is an absolute freak on the field.

"Then Eben who is the by far the most dominant tighthead lock to have probably played the game in the last ten or 15 years.

"I mean their performances really speak for themselves hopefully, we win it, I'm sure we will but it's good for the boys to get recognition for their hard work."

While Kleyn paid tribute to the players who had been nominated, the second-rower did not indicate who he thought should win the award and that discussion has conflicted many.

Former Springboks flanker and 2005 World Rugby Player of the Year Schalk Burger has had his say, admitting that it is a "bloody hard" decision.

"They're all so exceptional but I'm almost leaning towards Cheslin. It's bloody hard, you don't want to pick between them and it's almost better if there's only one South African," he said on the Boks Office podcast.

"We've been the exceptional side in the world this year. We've still got to play Wales but I'm comfortable we're going to pitch up and finish the year strong.

"Cheslin's probably going to be the one, although any one of the three [could] get it."

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