Kleyn calls on Munster to embrace 'mental and physical' challenge

Jean Kleyn: "We’re aware of the physical challenge that lies in wait, but it’s not something we’re afraid of."

South Africa-born lock Jean Kleyn has a clear message for his Munster teammates ahead of this Saturday’s URC battle against the Bulls in Pretoria: “Don’t let the altitude factor get into your head.” 

In the tunnel that leads out to the Bulls’ home ground of Loftus Versfeld, there is a noticeable sign that serves as both a reminder and warning for opposing teams: “Altitude. 1350 metres. It matters”.

That sign caught the attention of the Munster team when they first travelled to South Africa last November to face the Bulls and Lions, but those matches were ultimately postponed following the detection of the Omicron variant.

Nearly four months later, a new-look Munster squad has returned to Pretoria to fulfil those re-scheduled fixtures, and once again the subject of playing at altitude on the Pretoria highveld has been a central talking point throughout the week.

In typical fashion, though, Munster stalwart Jean Kleyn - who was brought up in Johannesburg - tackled the topic with a tangible sense of no-nonsense authority.

“It’s something the Bulls play on, there are signs all over the stadium saying that ‘altitude matters’, but it can be a mental thing. Once you start feeling it in your lungs, you can start convincing yourself that you’re getting more tired than usual. But the fact of the matter is that we’re all fit, and all we need to do is keep our head down and keep working, because at the end of the day it’s only 80 minutes. You just need to get through the mental barrier, to say ‘yes, the lungs are burning, but I can keep going…'

“We did a phenomenal amount of preparation work prior to the last tour, both mental and physical,” Kleyn added. 

“It was about creating markers in your head about how much your body can handle, and this included altitude training. I still think that will stand us in good stead for these matches now. We had nearly a full week of training the last time we were here, and we’ve been back at it this week, so quite a few of us have already experienced the altitude factor and how far we can push ourselves.

“Yes, the Bulls are a really tough team to play, especially at home, but I feel like we’re well prepared and the coaching staff have really done a great job in getting us ready to hopefully crack into them by the weekend.” 

Such comments speak volumes about the benefits of the touring group being able to tap into the knowledge, experience and leadership of Kleyn, who ironically grew up supporting the Lions, the team that Munster will face next weekend. 

More than a decade later, though, and with over 100 Munster caps to his name, the Irish international offers a wry chuckle when reflecting on his rugby journey in South Africa.

“I went to the University of Stellenbosch to study engineering, and almost accidentally progressed into playing professional rugby, it was never part of the life plan. I started playing for the university, and then within six months I was playing for the Western Province U19 team before getting called up to the U21 side. I just went with it, and then received a senior contract later on. I’m so grateful for the way it worked out.

“I’ve played against a lot of the Bulls players, guys like Bissie (Bismarck du Plessis), Arno Botha and Marcell Coetzee. They're massive ball carriers who are prominent around the pitch, and strong at the breakdown. So we’re aware of the physical challenge that lies in wait, but it’s not something we’re afraid of. It’s something we’re relishing and looking forward to. We’re regarded in Europe as quite a physical side ourselves, so it should be an exciting match up, and we’re looking forward to stepping up to meet the challenge."