Munster’s RG Snyman to undergo surgery in South Africa after another injury setback

Reports in France suggest that Lyon are interested in signing Munster lock Jean Kleyn

RG Snyman has suffered another injury setback, Munster have announced. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
RG Snyman has suffered another injury setback, Munster have announced. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho

Munster’s World Cup-winning lock RG Snyman has suffered another injury setback and will undergo surgery in his native South Africa.

Snyman, who played an instrumental role coming off the bench throughout the Springboks’ successful defence of their World Cup title, picked up a chest injury during last month’s final. According to Munster, the forward has sustained a chest/shoulder injury that requires a procedure. A timeline for his return was not outlined.

It is yet another injury blow for both Snyman and Munster since his arrival at the province. The South African made his debut against Leinster in August 2020 only to rupture his ACL seven minutes into the game. A number of setbacks ensured Snyman did not play again until September 2021, and in just his third game back he re-ruptured his cruciate ligament playing against the Scarlets in the United Rugby Championship.

In March, he returned from his latest ACL injury and played a role in Munster’s run to the URC title before featuring in the World Cup for South Africa.

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In January 2022, Snyman signed a two-year contract extension that runs out at the end of this season.

South Africa’s RG Snyman and Jean Kleyn celebrate after winning the World Cup. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho
South Africa’s RG Snyman and Jean Kleyn celebrate after winning the World Cup. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho

Meanwhile reports in France suggest that Lyon are interested in signing Snyman’s Munster and South Africa teammate Jean Kleyn. Lyon are in the market for a secondrow forward with French international Romain Taofifenua to join Racing 92.

Kleyn moved to Munster in 2016 and qualified for Ireland in 2019. A member of that year’s World Cup squad, he earned five caps in total before re-qualifying for his native South Africa after not playing international rugby for three years. He debuted for the Springboks during the summer and came off the bench during their World Cup final win.

Meanwhile in other injury news, the province is awaiting further medical assessment on Calvin Nash after he picked up a knee injury during Saturday’s victory over the Dragons.

Ahead of Friday’s trip to take on Ulster in Belfast, Simon Zebo (foot) and Josh Wycherley (neck) have returned to training after recovering from injuries while Tadhg Beirne, Dave Kilcoyne, Jeremy Loughman, Conor Murray and Peter O’Mahony have also returned from World Cup duty.

Ulster will also see World Cup squad members Iain Henderson, Rob Herring and Stuart McCloskey return to training this week ahead of their interpo against Munster. Robert Baloucoune, John Cooney, Angus Curtis, David Ewers, Cormac Izuchukwu, Luke Marshall, Jude Postlethwaite, Jacob Stockdale and Kieran Treadwell all continue to be monitored during their injury recoveries with their availability for selection to be determined later this week.

Will Addison, who has had a run of games since after a lengthy stint on the sidelines of his own, picked up a hamstring injury prior to Ulster’s defeat to Connacht and has been sent for an MRI to assess the extent of the damage. Addison was named to start at fullback at the Sportsground but was a late scratch from the starting lineup.

Nathan Johns

Nathan Johns

Nathan Johns is an Irish Times journalist