A GREEN GIANT?
Ireland getting beaten up by England has increased the chances of South African’s World Cup call-up...
“Size matters
and Jean Kleyn is enormous”
IRELAND’S dismantling by England at the start of the month was a shock to the system. Eight months out from the World Cup, the nature of that loss at home to Eddie Jones’ men was deeply concerning, puncturing the success bubble Ireland enjoyed throughout 2018 while handing their rivals a ready-made template for how to deconstruct the Joe Schmidt plan.
But, for all of specific tactical ploys that proved so effective on a sobering evening in Lansdowne, the most significant was also the most basic — an old-fashioned bully-boy battering.
England were a much bigger team across the park and making that bulk count was the starting point for all that followed.
It re-emphasised the point that, with the modern game ever more attritional, size always matters and that was reflected in Schmidt’s selection for the restorative victory in Scotland — opting for the muscle mass of Chris Farrell and Quinn Roux over lighter alternatives following injuries to Robbie Henshaw and Devin Toner.
Roux went okay in the second row against the comparatively lightweight Scots but he is limited at this level and there is a far bigger and better South African on Ireland’s radar who is running out in Cork tonight for Munster against his countrymen from the Southern Kings.
There are three salient facts to keep in mind when watching Jean Kleyn this evening; he is a high quality, international-class second row; he is enormous and he qualifies for Ireland in the weeks prior to the World Cup in Japan.
In a week where the concept of pliable nationality is a hot topic following footballer Declan Rice’s decision to switch allegiance to England, the notion of Kleyn parachuting into the Ireland World Cup squad and taking the place of an Irishman who has devoted his rugby life to pursuing the green jersey (unless it’s Roux, of course) is a contentious one.
Indeed, it would add to the ongoing farce where the idea of national identity is being incrementally diluted — but that does not mean it will not happen.
As the focus narrows towards Japan and Ireland’s bid to finally achieve something meaningful at rugby’s flagship tournament, sentiment and moral high ground will be wilfully abandoned.
Reaching a first semi-final is all that matters to Ireland and the IRFU, and bringing Kleyn’s muscle into the mix could be the difference, particularly when Ireland’s quarter-final opposition is likely to be provided by South Africa, a side who outstrip even England on the bulkometer. He has been immense for Munster since joining nearly three years ago, a totem of indomitablity as the province gradually make their way back to the summit of the European game. When he has been unavailable, Kleyn has been decisively missed — such as in the Champions Cup loss in Castres last December, when Munster were beaten up and thrown off their game, much as Ireland were by England a couple of weeks ago. Tonight’s Pro14 encounter will not be as exacting but Kleyn is a full throttle, no brakes player and expect him to make his presence felt against opponents who are ripe for smacking, even with a host of the home side’s marquee names away on Six Nations duty.
The official IRFU line is that players who have not been part of the system for a significant part of the preparation process are unlikely to be dropped into the World Cup boiler but needs must — especially after the England reality-check — and he will be watched closely by Schmidt (below) and the Ireland management for the rest of his residency qualification period.
He will not be alone. There are a clutch of Ireland hopefuls in action for Munster, led by Farrell, who did very well on his return to the Ireland midfield against Scotland when he could have done with more ball.
Andrew Conway on the right wing will be driven to make a statement after calf injury issues compromised his early Six Nations involvement — particularly with the issue of who is stand-in fullback for Rob Kearney yet to be resolved.
Tonight would also be a good night for Niall Scannell to have a big game at hooker. While Sean Cronin is ahead of the Corkman behind Ireland captain Rory Best, there is an argument that Cronin is most effectively used off the bench and that Scannell is the better bet as starter. With Best likely to be rested against Italy, there is a lot at stake.
Scannell’s brother, Rory, will also have noted recent criticism of Bundee Aki’s kicking and passing skills in the Ireland centre and will seek a stand-out performance as auxiliary playmaker next to out-half and captain Tyler Bleyendaal (another import with Irish aspirations).
It makes for intriguing subplots in what should be a routine home win — with Kleyn, typically, the biggest of them all.