If everything goes as planned, Ireland lock Jean Kleyn could switch international allegiances, after he was selected to join the Springboks’ Rugby Championship training squad.

Kleyn was born in South Africa and qualified to play for Ireland through residency grounds in September 2019.

He played five tests for Ireland, which included the 2019 World Cup.

Kleyn has not played for Ireland since the 2020 Six Nations, and his latest omission from the squad named by head coach Andy Farrell seems to have left the door open for the Springboks to lure him back to the Republic.

The 29-year-old’s admission to the Boks team is depending on the outcome of an application filed by the South African Rugby Union (SARU) regarding the former Stormers lock’s eligibility in terms of Regulation 8 and based on birthright.

The decision is expected to be received soon.

Kleyn’s inclusion in the Boks training squad certainly was a big shock, but simultaneously a stroke of genius by the Springboks management.

The Munster lock has delivered some really impressive performances this season, and he was named Munster’s Player of the Season. He was integral to Munster’s United Rugby Championship title success – beating his former side the Stormers in the Final last month.

Despite his incredible form, the Johannesburg-born forward still was snubbed by the Irish coach Andy Farrell, which left many Irish supporters far from happy in the north.

But Ireland’s loss might be South Africa’s gain.

It is clear that the Springbok management holds Kleyn in high regard. 

In 2016, Kleyn was the first high-profile signing made by former Munster head coach Rassie Erasmus, who is South Africa’s Director of Rugby.

Kleyn faced fierce competition, with Lodewyk de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, Marvin Orie and Rudolf Snyman, along with utility forwards Pieter-Steph du Toit and Franco Mostert, all very accomplished in the position.

However, one thing is sure – Kleyn’s inclusion in the Boks training squad has fired the first shot and added extra fuel to the fire of what will be a highly contested Pool B in the World Cup, where defending champion South Africa has been drawn in the same pool as Ireland, along with Scotland, Tonga and Romania.

Popular Munster opinion setter Tim O’Connor summed up the frustration many from Munster were feeling when news of the move broke Saturday.

“So, that’s Ben Healy and Jean Kleyn both frozen out, for no remotely explicable or justifiable reason in Kleyn’s case, and Ireland’s RWC pool opponents diving in to benefit,” wrote O’Connor on Twitter. “That bet on cohesion better pay off, put it that way… The country with the strongest stock of locks on Earth enthusiastically availing of the standout TH lock in Irish rugby, but, sure, why would we need a big unit who relentlessly cleans the contact area? It’s not like players like that win trophi… Oh.”