To be on the cusp of being crowned a world champion was something beyond Springbok lock Jean Kleyn's mind six months ago.

Om op die punt te wees om as &#39;n wêreldkampioen gekroon te word, was ses maande gelede iets buite die Springbok-slot Jean Kleyn se verstand.

Ukuba semngciphekweni wokuthweswa isithsaba njengentshatsheli yehlabathi yinto engaphaya kwengqondo kaJean Kleyn eSpringbok kwiinyanga ezintandathu ezidlulileyo.

Ukuba seqhulwini lokuthweswa isicoco sokuba ngumpetha womhlaba kwakuyinto engaphandle komqondo kaJean Kleyn wamaBhokobhoko ezinyangeni eziyisithupha ezedlule.

To be on the cusp of being crowned a world champion was something beyond Springbok lock Jean Kleyn's mind six months ago. Munster lock Kleyn represented Ireland under Joe Schmidt at the 2019 World Cup in Japan after qualifying on residency grounds.
But, having been repeatedly overlooked by Schmidt's successor Andy Farrell, the 30-year-old was in June cleared to switch allegiance back to the Springboks before being included in Jacques Nienaber's squad for France.
Reigning champions South Africa are on course to retain their crown going into Saturday's final against fellow three-time winners New Zealand in Paris.
"I think I've caught myself thinking about it probably too often," Kleyn said of his curious Test career.
"It's a strange one because if you'd asked me six months ago if I at all thought I had any chance of being here at the World Cup final playing for the Springboks, I would have told you you are absolutely insane.
"I'll probably wake up when it's all said and done and think, 'was that a dream or did it actually happen?'. It was outside the realm of thinking.
"It's been a fantastic journey for me. It's been an absolute pleasure being part of it."
Kleyn, who joined Munster from the Stormers in 2016, played five times under Schmidt in 2019, with his final cap coming in Ireland's 47-5 pool-stage win over Samoa in Fukuoka.
His lengthy spell in the international wilderness allowed him to revert to the Springboks, a decision he feared may be met with a backlash.
But the response in his adopted nation has been overwhelmingly positive and grown since Ireland's quarter-final exit at the hands of the All Blacks.
"I've been absolutely inundated with messages from Munster supporters &ndash; obviously only after Ireland fell out," said Kleyn.
"Then they really came after us and said, 'listen, you're our second team now, guys'.
"The support was really heartfelt from a lot of Munster fans and it made it a lot easier for me because I thought it would be quite a negative reaction when I declared for the Springboks.
"From my history with Irish media, I figured there would be a few negative articles but it was resoundingly positive, so I was really happy about that."
Kleyn may have to settle for a watching brief at Stade de France this weekend as he has been restricted to just one start during the tournament &ndash; South Africa's 76&ndash;0 success over Romania.
His only other appearance was off the bench in his country's 13-8 Pool B loss to Ireland.
While the Springboks lost that epic battle, they could still win the war.
"Obviously it was a pity for us the result didn&rsquo;t go our way but here we are in the end still," said Kleyn.
"No-one really looks back and says 'you've lost a pool game'. They're going to look if you win the World Cup.
"We were disappointed with the result back then but happy with where we are now. It was a fantastic game to be a part of. I enjoyed every minute."

Om op die punt te wees om as &#39;n wêreldkampioen gekroon te word, was ses maande gelede iets buite die Springbok-slot Jean Kleyn se verstand. Die Munster-slot Kleyn het Ierland onder Joe Schmidt by die Wêreldbeker-sokkertoernooi in 2019 in Japan verteenwoordig nadat hy op verblyfgronde gekwalifiseer het. Maar, nadat Schmidt se opvolger Andy Farrell herhaaldelik oor die hoof gesien is, is die 30-jarige in Junie vrygelaat om getrouheid na die Springbokke terug te skakel voordat hy in Jacques Nienaber se groep vir Frankryk ingesluit is. Die heersende kampioen, Suid-Afrika, is op koers om hul kroon te behou vir Saterdag se eindstryd teen die driemalige mede-wenners Nieu-Seeland in Parys. “Ek dink ek het myself gevang om seker te gereeld daaraan te dink,” het Kleyn oor sy nuuskierige toetsloopbaan gesê. “Dit is &#39;n vreemde een, want as jy my ses maande gelede gevra het of ek enigsins gedink het ek het enige kans om hier by die Wêreldbeker-eindstryd vir die Springbokke te wees, sou ek vir jou gesê het jy is absoluut kranksinnig. “Ek sal seker wakker word as dit alles gesê en gedoen is en dink: ‘was dit ’n droom of het dit werklik gebeur?’ Dit was buite die denkwêreld. &quot;Dit was &#39;n fantastiese reis vir my. Dit was &#39;n absolute plesier om deel daarvan te wees.&quot; Kleyn, wat hom in 2016 van die Stormers by Munster aangesluit het, het in 2019 vyf keer onder Schmidt gespeel, met sy laaste wedstryd in Ierland se 47-5 poelfase-oorwinning oor Samoa in Fukuoka. Sy lang tydperk in die internasionale wildernis het hom toegelaat om na die Springbokke terug te keer, &#39;n besluit wat hy gevrees het met &#39;n terugslag. Maar die reaksie in sy aangenome nasie was oorweldigend positief en het gegroei sedert Ierland se kwarteindstryd aan die hand van die All Blacks. “Ek is absoluut oorval met boodskappe van Munster-ondersteuners – natuurlik eers nadat Ierland uitgeval het,” het Kleyn gesê. “Toe kom hulle regtig agter ons aan en sê, ‘luister, julle is nou ons tweede span, ouens’. “Die ondersteuning was regtig hartlik van baie Munster-ondersteuners en dit het dit vir my baie makliker gemaak, want ek het gedink dit sou nogal ’n negatiewe reaksie wees toe ek vir die Springbokke verklaar het. &quot;Uit my geskiedenis met die Ierse media het ek gedink daar sou &#39;n paar negatiewe artikels wees, maar dit was dawerend positief, so ek was regtig bly daaroor.&quot; Kleyn sal dalk die naweek met &#39;n kykopdrag by Stade de France moet tevrede wees, aangesien hy beperk is tot net een begin tydens die toernooi – Suid-Afrika se sukses van 76–0 oor Roemenië. Sy enigste ander verskyning was van die bank af in sy land se 13-8 Poel B-nederlaag teen Ierland. Terwyl die Springbokke daardie epiese stryd verloor het, kon hulle steeds die oorlog wen. “Natuurlik was dit vir ons jammer die uitslag het nie na ons kant toe gegaan nie, maar hier is ons op die ou end steeds,” het Kleyn gesê. &quot;Niemand kyk regtig terug en sê &#39;jy het &#39;n poelwedstryd verloor nie. Hulle gaan kyk of jy die Wêreldbeker wen. &quot;Ons was teleurgesteld met die uitslag destyds, maar gelukkig met waar ons nou is. Dit was &#39;n fantastiese wedstryd om van deel te wees. Ek het elke minuut geniet.&quot;

Ukuba semngciphekweni wokuthweswa isithsaba njengentshatsheli yehlabathi yinto engaphaya kwengqondo kaJean Kleyn weSpringbok kwiinyanga ezintandathu ezidlulileyo. UMunster lock uKleyn umele iIreland phantsi kukaJoe Schmidt kwiNdebe yeHlabathi ka-2019 eJapan emva kokufumana indawo yokuhlala. Kodwa, emva kokungahoywa ngokuphindaphindiweyo lilandela lika-Schmidt u-Andy Farrell, lomdlali oneminyaka engama-30 ubudala ngoJuni wanikwa imvume yokutshintshela kwiSpringboks phambi kokuba aqukwe kwiqela likaJacques Nienaber eliya eFrance. Iintshatsheli ezilawulayo uMzantsi Afrika zisethubeni lokugcina isithsaba sazo ukuya kumdlalo wamagqibela kankqoyi wangoMgqibelo ngokuchasene nabanye abaphumelele kathathu iNew Zealand eParis. “Ndicinga ukuba ndiye ndazibamba ndicinga ngayo rhoqo,” utshilo uKleyn malunga nomsebenzi wakhe wovavanyo onomdla. “Ngummangaliso lo ngoba ukuba ubunokundibuza kwiinyanga ezintandathu ezidlulileyo ukuba bendicinga ukuba ndinalo na ithuba lokuba lapha kumdlalo wamagqibela kankqoyi weNdebe yeHlabathi ndidlalela iSpringboks, ngendikuxelele ukuba uphambene ngokupheleleyo. &quot;Mhlawumbi ndiya kuvuka xa konke kuthethiwe kwaye kwenziwe kwaye ndicinge, &#39;ngaba yayiliphupha okanye lenzeka ngokwenene?&#39;. Kwakungaphandle kwendawo yokucinga. &quot;Ibe luhambo olumnandi kum. Bekuluyolo olukhulu ukuba yinxalenye yalo.&quot; U-Kleyn, ojoyine uMunster osuka kwiStormers ngo-2016, wadlala izihlandlo ezihlanu phantsi kweSchmidt ngo-2019, kunye nekhephu yakhe yokugqibela eza kumdlalo we-Ireland wama-47-5 wokunqoba iSamoa eFukuoka. Ukuhlala kwakhe ixesha elide kwintlango yezizwe ngezizwe kwamvumela ukuba abuyele kwiSpringboks, isigqibo ebesoyikela ukuba singadibana naye. Kodwa impendulo kwisizwe sakhe esamkelweyo ibe intle kakhulu kwaye ikhule ukusukela ekuphumeni kwe-Ireland kwikota yokugqibela ezandleni zabo bonke abaNtsundu. “Ndichukunyiswe yimiyalezo evela kubaxhasi bakaMunster- ngokucacileyo kuphela emva kokuba iIreland iwile,” utshilo uKleyn. &quot;Emva koko basilandela bathi, &#39;mamelani, niliqela lethu lesibini ngoku, bafana&#39;. “Inkxaso ibisuka entliziyweni kubalandeli abaninzi beMunster kwaye iyenze yalula kakhulu kum kuba bendicinga ukuba iya kuba yinto engalunganga xa ndibhenela iSpringboks. &quot;Ukususela kwimbali yam kunye nemithombo yeendaba yase-Ireland, ndicinge ukuba kuya kubakho amanqaku ambalwa angalunganga kodwa alungile, ngoko ndonwabe kakhulu loo nto.&quot; U-Kleyn kungafuneka azinze ixesha elifutshane lokubukela i-Stade de France kule mpelaveki njengoko ebethintelwe nje ukuqala nje ngexesha letumente – impumelelo yoMzantsi Afrika ngo’76–0 xa ibetha iRomania. Enye inkangeleko yakhe ekuphela kwayo yayikukuphuma ebhentshini kwilizwe lakhe i-13-8 yokubethwa kwePool B e-Ireland. Ngelixa amaBhokobhoko ephulukene nela dabi libalulekileyo, angakwazi ukuphumelela idabi. “Kucacile ukuba ibilusizi kuthi iziphumo azizange zihambe ngendlela yethu kodwa sifikelele esiphelweni,” utshilo uKleyn. &quot;Akukho mntu ujonga ngasemva kwaye uthi &#39;uphulukene nomdlalo we-pool&#39;. Baza kujonga ukuba uyayiphumelela iNdebe yeHlabathi. &quot;Sasiphoxekile ziziphumo emva phaya kodwa sonwabile kule ndawo sikuyo ngoku. Yayingumdlalo omnandi kakhulu ukuba yinxalenye yawo. Ndonwabele yonke imzuzu.&quot;

Ukuba seqhulwini lokuthweswa isicoco sokuba ngumpetha womhlaba kwakuyinto eyayingaphezu komqondo kaJean Kleyn wamaBhokobhoko ezinyangeni eziyisithupha ezedlule. UMunster lock u-Kleyn ubemele i-Ireland ngaphansi kukaJoe Schmidt eNdebeni yoMhlaba ka-2019 eJapan ngemuva kokufaneleka ezindaweni zokuhlala. Kodwa, enganakiwe kaningi owalandela u-Schmidt u-Andy Farrell, lo mdlali oneminyaka engu-30 ubudala ngoJuni wavunyelwa ukuthi ashintshe ukwethembeka kumaBhokobhoko ngaphambi kokuthi afakwe eqenjini lika-Jacques Nienaber eliya eFrance. Ompetha abasaphethe iNingizimu Afrika sebethubeni lokusigcina isicoco sabo emdlalweni wamanqamu ngoMgqibelo bebhekene nabanqobe kathathu iNew Zealand eParis. “Ngicabanga ukuthi ngike ngazithola ngicabanga ngakho kaningi,” kusho u-Kleyn ngomsebenzi wakhe wokufuna ukwazi. “Kuyaxaka ngoba ukube wangibuza ezinyangeni eziyisithupha ezedlule ukuthi bengicabanga ukuthi nginalo yini ithuba lokuba lapha kowamanqamu eNdebe yoMhlaba ngidlalela amaBhokobhoko, bengizokutshela ukuthi uyahlanya. &quot;Mhlawumbe ngizophaphama lapho konke sekushiwo futhi kwenziwa futhi ngicabange, &#39;ingabe lelo iphupho noma kwenzekile ngempela?&#39;. Kwakungaphandle kwendawo yokucabanga. &quot;Kube wuhambo oluhle kimina. Kube yintokozo enkulu ukuba yingxenye yalo.&quot; UKleyn, ojoyine uMunster esuka kumaStormers ngo-2016, wadlala izikhathi ezinhlanu ngaphansi kukaSchmidt ngo-2019, kanti isicoco sakhe sokugcina sinqoba i-Ireland ngo 47-5 ihlula iSamoa eFukuoka. Ukuhlala kwakhe ehlane lamazwe ngamazwe kwamvumela ukuthi abuyele kumaBhokobhoko, okuyisinqumo ayesaba ukuthi singase sibhekane nengwadla. Kodwa ukusabela esizweni sakhe sokutholwa kube kuhle kakhulu futhi kwakhula kusukela i-Ireland iphuma kuma-quarter-final ezandleni zama-All Blacks. &quot;Ngingenelwe yimiyalezo evela kubalandeli bakaMunster - kusobala ngemuva kokuthi i-Ireland ixabene,&quot; kusho uKleyn. “Babe sebesilandela ngempela bathi, ‘lalelani, seniyiqembu lethu lesibili manje, bafo’. “Ukwesekwa bekusuka enhliziyweni kubalandeli abaningi beMunster futhi kwenze kwaba lula kakhulu kimina ngoba bengicabanga ukuthi kuzoba ukusabela okungekuhle ngesikhathi ngimemezela amaBhokobhoko. &quot;Kusukela emlandweni wami nabezindaba zase-Ireland, ngicabange ukuthi kuzoba nezindatshana ezimbalwa ezingezinhle kodwa bezinhle ngendlela emangazayo, ngakho bengijabule kakhulu ngalokho.&quot; U-Kleyn kungase kudingeke abukele e-Stade de France kule mpelasonto njengoba evinjelwe ukuqala kanye nje kulo mqhudelwano – impumelelo yeNingizimu Afrika ngo-76-0 ihlula iRomania. Okunye abonakale ephuma ebhentshini ngesikhathi izwe lakhe lihlulwa yi-Ireland ngo 13-8. Yize amaBhokobhoko ehlulwe kule mpi ebiyingqophamlando, abesengayinqoba le mpi. “Kusobala ukuthi kube buhlungu kithina ukuthi umphumela awuhambanga ngendlela yethu kodwa nakhu sifika ekugcineni,” kusho uKleyn. &quot;Akekho obheka emuva futhi athi &#39;uhlulwe umdlalo we-pool&#39;. Bazobheka ukuthi ungayinqoba yini iNdebe yoMhlaba. &quot;Sidumele ngomphumela ngaleso sikhathi kodwa sijabule lapho esikhona manje. Bekuwumdlalo omnandi ukuba yingxenye yawo. Ngiwujabulele umzuzu nomzuzu.&quot;

Kleyn reflects on unlikely journey to World Cup final with the Boks

Kleyn besin oor die onwaarskynlike reis na Wêreldbeker-eindstryd saam met die Bokke

UKleyn ubonakalisa uhambo olungalindelekanga lokuya kumdlalo wokugqibela weNdebe yeHlabathi neeBoks

U-Kleyn ucabanga ngohambo olungalindelekile lokuya kowamanqamu eNdebe yoMhlaba namaBoks

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