Yesterday's comments from Jean Kleyn - which have caused much uproar and debate in the Twittersphere - seem destined to go down in Irish rugby lore alongside Darren Cave's 'face doesn't fit' comments, or more recently, when Andrew Porter spoke on the importance of a fifth star for Leinster after their URC semi-final defeat.
Naturally, Kleyn's comments - spoken at a press conference ahead of his debut for South Africa this weekend - were slightly skewed and shortened in various headlines.
While the sentiment of 'I grew up wanting to wear Bakkies Botha's jersey, not Paul O'Connell's' isn't technically wrong, Kleyn's actual words were not as blunt:
It will always be different, you know, it’s your home country
Obviously it was a great honour to play for Ireland as well but I didn’t grow up as a young boy watching Paul O’Connell play rugby thinking ‘jeez, I want to play in his jersey’. I was watching Bakkies Botha run around smashing guys and thinking ‘one day, one day’.
So, you know, it’s very much a childhood dream coming true and here I am sitting here where I never thought I’d get the opportunity.
12 October 2019; Irish rugby ; Ireland players, from left, James Ryan, Jean Kleyn, Josh van der Flier during the Ireland's Call prior to the 2019 Rugby World Cup Pool A match between Ireland and Samoa at the Fukuoka Hakatanomori Stadium in Fukuoka, Japan. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
For those in need of a brief recap; Kleyn was brought over to Munster as a project player in 2016, and subsequently qualified to play for Ireland after his three year stint.
He made his Ireland debut in 2019, but did not feature again since the World Cup that year. He has now been allowed to change countries once more after World Rugby changed their eligibility laws.
Gordon D'Arcy On The Jean Kleyn Narrative
Ex-Leinster and Ireland centre Gordon D'Arcy, who has been vocal in the past over eligibility rules, has voiced his own thoughts on the matter, tweeting that "while lovely, he chosen to represent Ireland and was there one question about his decision to leave SA and represent Ireland and how this might be considered speaking out of both sides of his mouth?", and "Again to caveat the obvious.. he should be in the Irish squad today but has been paid to forgo his option to play for SA and is benefiting from a rule not designed for him. It is a rule, no issue but please let’s not romanticise this."
Thanks.. have seen it.. while lovely, he chosen to represent Ireland and was there one question about his decision to leave SA and represent Ireland and how this might be considered speaking out of both sides of his mouth?
— Gordon D'Arcy (@Gordonwdarcy) July 5, 2023
READ HERE: Fans In Complete Disagreement Over Jean Kleyn Yellow Card Incident
While D'Arcy is correct in that the rule to allow players to change nationalities, after standing down from international rugby for three years, was brought in to boost Tier 2 nations, this is neither Kleyn's fault nor his problem.
Kleyn's stint as an Ireland player was also the product of a now changed rule which saw project players allowed to represent their adopted country after playing in it for three years, rather than the new law of five years.
Again, this is neither Kleyn's fault nor his problem for taking advantage of this rule.
With World Rugby changing the project player laws from three to five years, perhaps they will now look at changing the new eligibility rules to only allow players switch back to a Tier 2 nation.
Kleyn's situation does highlight the unfortunate mercenary nature that we see in international rugby. And, while D'Arcy is correct that we should not 'romanticise' it, it is an unavoidable element of the game.
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