Rugby
Kleyn forced to withdraw on eve of return Test─── MORGAN PIEK 16:28 Fri, 22 Nov 2024
“He has also been training with the squad all week and throughout the tour, so it was a logical choice for him to start on the bench.”
The Springboks have made another injury-enforced change to their team for the season-ending Test against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday.
The former Ireland lock, Jean Kleyn, has been withdrawn from the match squad after picking up an injury during training. Kleyn himself was an injury replacement on tour when the Munster second-rower was called up to replace the Bull captain, Ruan Nortjé, just days before the Scotland Test in Edinburgh.
This was set to be Kleyn’s first Test since the historic 2023 Rugby World Cup final against the All Blacks at Stade de France in Paris. Kleyn had spent 10 months on the sidelines nursing an injury and only recently made his return to rugby for Munster against Leinster in the United Rugby Championship.
The World Rugby Player of the Year nominee and all-time most capped Springbok, Eben Etzebeth, has been promoted to the starting XV from the bench as cover for Kleyn. This sees Marco van Staden being called up to the bench.
The Springbok coach, Rassie Erasmus, said while Van Staden is a loose forward, he will be of value off the bench.
“We feel for Jean as it would have been his first Test since the Rugby World Cup final last year, but Marco is also a Rugby World Cup winner and has been with the squad all season,” said Erasmus.
“He has also been training with the squad all week and throughout the tour, so it was a logical choice for him to start on the bench.”
Jean Kleyn. Photo: X
The Test between Wales and the Springboks at the Millennium Stadium kicks off at 19:40 on Saturday.
Wales – 15 Blair Murray, 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Max Llewellyn, 12 Ben Thomas, 11 Rio Dyer, 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Ellis Bevan, 8 Taine Plumtree, 7 Jac Morgan, 6 James Botham, 5 Will Rowlands, 4 Christ Tshiunza, 3 Gareth Thomas, 2 Dewi Lake (captain), 1 Archie Griffin
Replacements – 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Nicky Smith, 18 Keiron Assiratti, 19 Freddie Thomas, 20 Tommy Reffell, 21 Rhodri Williams, 22 Eddie James, 23 Josh Hathaway
Springboks – 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Thomas du Toit
Replacements – 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Marco van Staden, 20 RG Snyman, 21 Cameron Hanekom, 22 Cobus Reinach, 23 Handré Pollard
