Peter O’Mahony backs Jean Kleyn to make Irish eyes smile

By Brendan O’Brien

Peter O’Mahony feels a fit and in-form Jean Kleyn could be a serious weapon for Joe Schmidt’s Ireland in the years to come.

The South African lock has this week extended his commitment to Munster through to 2021 and he will qualify for the national team under residency rules as of next September, just as Schmidt’s side is fine-tuning its World Cup preparations.

Time is tight if he is to force his way on to a plane to Japan in 2019 then, but the man from Krugersdorp has shown enough in his 42 Munster appearances to date to confirm that he can be an important option for Ireland, even in a department which is considerably well-stocked.

“Jean has a great way of going about his work,” said O’Mahony at yesterday’s Heineken Champions Cup launch. “He’s a very diligent man, he works hard and keeps the head down and he’s very, very effective in what he does and he knows what he’s very good at and works hard at it.

If he continues the way he has been performing at the moment, taking his form from last year into this season, I’ve no doubt that he’ll be banging on the right doors. But he’ll know himself that performance is key — consistency of performance. He knows that better than anyone, to be fair.

Kleyn has been upfront about his Test ambitions with his adopted homeland — laying them out to Sky Sports last January — but he is just one among a host of players at the club whose focus is squared entirely on matters Munster for now. For some, that starts with simply seeing some game time.

Johann van Graan offered a few nuggets of information in that regard in Dublin yesterday, although there was again nothing in terms of a medical update on Conor Murray. The head coach confirmed that the player has asked that none be made publicly available.

Alby Mathewson, the Kiwi nine signed on a short-term deal to ease Murray’s loss, is finally on the verge of receiving his work permit, although Chris Farrell’s reappearance in the centre is still an unspecified way off due to slow progress after knee trouble.

There was the merest hint of frustration in van Graan’s voice as he dissected Munster’s up-and-down start to the Guinness PRO14 season — two home wins and two away losses — and a wistfulness over what it would be like to pick a matchday squad close to full strength.

The inability to pair Murray with Joey Carbery since the latter’s arrival from Leinster must be high up there in terms of annoyance value, but van Graan’s options at out-half may be expanded soon as Tyler Bylendaal appears to be closing in on the all-clear from neck trouble.

The Kiwi ten hasn’t played since February but encouraging noises are being heard.

“Yeah, he’s closer. He’s training with the team,” said van Graan. “He’s not making contact yet, but as soon as we get that clearance we’ll make that known. He’s very confident running around, smiling, he’s working on his fitness. He’s still a bit off playing. He’s only played 20 minutes against Cardiff and 60 minutes against Glasgow since I came.

“He’s still part of our leadership group, he’s a massive part of our team. Some of the capabilities he’s got as a player we’d love to use.

Hopefully we can have him back as well and it would be great to have, in my head, our best 23 players on the pitch for a change.”