OFFICIAL | World Rugby clears Jean Kleyn for Springbok selection

It's now official.

Former Ireland lock Jean Kleyn is eligible to be selected for the Springboks after World Rugby cleared his selection under new eligibility rules.

The global governing body confirmed on Thursday that Kleyn, 29, fulfilled the necessary "birthright transfer" requirements.

He now looks set to make his Springbok debut in the upcoming Rugby Championship.

READ | Realistic Rassie rubbishes any thoughts of Boks as World Cup favourites: 'No sense doing that'

World Rugby's Regulation 8 - which came into force at the start of 2022 - allows for players to be selected for their country of birth (or of their parents' or grandparents' birth) once a period of at least 36 months has elapsed since last selection for an adopted country.

Kleyn, who joined Munster from the Stormers in 2016, played five Tests for Ireland in 2019 after qualifying on residency grounds.

The 2.03m beanpole boasts more than 130 caps for Munster and was a key cog in their URC championship-winning side. Munster beat the Stormers 19-14 in the final in Cape Town last month.

In a shortened Rugby Championship, South Africa will host Australia (Loftus Versfeld, 8 July) and Argentina (Ellis Park, 29 July) and face New Zealand away from home (Auckland, 15 July).

The Boks will also play a warm-up match against Argentina in Buenos Aires (5 August), before wrapping up their World Cup preparation with games against Wales in Cardiff (19 August) and New Zealand in London (25 August).

South Africa's 33-man squad for the World Cup will be named on 8 August.

Springbok 2023 fixtures: 

Rugby Championship:

Saturday, 8 July - Springboks v Australia (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)

Saturday, 15 July - Springboks v New Zealand (Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland)

Saturday, 29 July -