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Mary Hannigan: ‘Whirlwind’ experience for Jean Kleyn ends with power bringing home the glory

Gerry Thornley on why the Springboks are top dogs; Ken Early on Manchester City’s easy street; Ian O’Riordan on the mental pain of the Dublin marathon

Jean Kleyn celebrates with his wife Aisling after the Rugby World Cup final win over New Zealand. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho

Mary Hannigan's face
Mary Hannigan
Mon Oct 30 2023 - 10:11

Jean Kleyn isn’t planning on taking off his World Cup winner’s medal for at least a week, the fella firmly in pinch-me territory after the Springboks’ triumph over New Zealand on Saturday. Four years ago he watched the final on a flight from South Africa to Ireland, the prospect of ever featuring in one feeling decidedly remote. But having won five caps for Ireland, a change in World Rugby’s eligibility rulings made him an option for the country of his birth, his first call-up only coming in July. “It’s been a long journey, a lot’s happened, but I wouldn’t change it for the world,” he said, “it’s been a whirlwind.”

Gerry Thornley reflects on a victory that makes “the Springboks the global game’s top dogs now for sure”, three one-point victories in the knockout stages proving that “when you know how to win, you know how to win”. Four World Cup finals, four triumphs, “none of them have been particularly memorable” – it was the third of them without a South African try – but “the ‘Boks won’t care”. “They know how to win World Cup finals. Whatever it takes.”

Manchester City, meanwhile, know how to beat Manchester United. Often, quite handily, as was the case on Sunday. When Ken Early looked at United’s team-sheet an hour before kick-off, he reckoned things didn’t look promising for them. “And yet in the end, it was still a surprise just how bad it turned out to be.”

Ballyhale Shamrocks had been the Manchester City of Kilkenny hurling until Sunday when O’Loughlin Gaels put a stop to their gallop, their first county title since 2016 ending the defending champions’ hopes of a six-in-a-row. Seán Moran was in Nowlan Park to witness the changing of the guard, and he also brings us a round-up of all the weekend’s key club action.

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Among the big games was the Cork football final, Denis Walsh seeing Castlehaven hold off Nemo Rangers in a “red-faced, white-knuckled, arm-wrestle”, and Gordon Manning was up in Parnell Park where Na Fianna crushed Ballyboden St Enda’s in the Dublin hurling decider.

How’s the GAA’s split season working out? “The first two-thirds of the club year is full of decaffeinated matches and the championship phase of the season is consumed like a shot of espresso,” writes Denis. “Seven months of training, league matches and challenge games, and then a month of hectic flapping while clubs try to keep their seasons airborne.” Fair to say, he feels it needs some fine-tuning.

Both Stephen Scullion and Ann-Marie McGlynn were, as it proved, very finely tuned when they took on the Dublin Marathon on Sunday, the pair taking the Irish titles after outstanding runs. Ian O’Riordan spoke to them both after the race, Scullion having run the fastest time ever by an Irishman in this country and McGlynn having a day to remember too, finishing fifth overall and almost three minutes ahead of the next Irish woman.

TV Watch: After securing their fourth league title in a row, Shamrock Rovers are on a victory lap, the latest leg taking them to Cork City for this afternoon’s game (RTÉ 2, kick-off 4.45). And at 8pm on the same channel, Donal Lenihan joins Daire O’Brien on Against the Head for a look back at the Rugby World Cup final.