Out until 2024: Another World Cup winner is ruled out at Munster

Munster will negotiate the opening two rounds of their Investec Champions Cup campaign with neither of their Rugby World Cup-winning locks involved after it was confirmed that Jean Kleyn has joined RG Snyman on the sidelines.

It was November 6 when the Irish province reported that Snyman had suffered a chest/shoulder injury during the World Cup final and was to undergo surgery in South Africa that week.

He has since returned to Limerick where it emerged last week that he won’t be kept on at the club following the completion of the 2023/24 season, an announcement that quickly resulted in him being linked with a switch to Bath who are now coached by ex-Munster boss Johann van Graan.

In contrast, Munster unveiled a two-year extension for Kleyn, the South African who played at the 2019 World Cup for Ireland and had since gone through the three-year standdown period to become eligible for Springboks selection in time for the recent finals.

Named Munster player of the year for 2022/23, he made his 2023/24 seasonal debut in the November 25 URC derby away to Leinster but an injury sustained in that hard-fought encounter means he will now miss this Saturday’s home match versus Bayonne and the following weekend’s trip to Exeter.

A statement read: “Jean Kleyn will be unavailable until the new year due to an eye injury suffered in the Leinster match. He attended for a specialist review last Tuesday and Wednesday and will have further follow-up before Christmas.”

Munster also confirmed that the Bayonne fixture will come too soon for Peter O’Mahony, the Ireland World Cup back-rower who injured his shoulder in the November 19 clash with the Stormers and has since relinquished the provincial captaincy after a decade at the helm.

“Peter O’Mahony (shoulder) is improving but will remain unavailable for the Bayonne clash. Jack Daly (ankle) and Liam Coombes (shoulder) both underwent surgery last week and will begin rehabilitation under the medical department.

“There is good news for Patrick Campbell (ankle) as he has returned to team training. Jack O’Donoghue (ankle) will also return to training this week. Simon Zebo (knee) will continue to rehabilitate early this week. The availability of Campbell, O’Donoghue and Zebo will be determined later in the week.”