Jean Klyen has signed a deal to leave Munster after 10 seasons in red. He will be heading to join up with Gloucester next season. He has played for Munster over 160 times and will look to add to that before the end of the campaign.

Munster did offer terms but Gloucester have offered a better deal and will have the World Cup winner in harness for the 2026/2027 season.

Kleyn made his debut for Munster in the 2016/2017 campaign and went to the 2019 World Cup as a Irish squad member, eventually winning 5 caps before other players got ahead of him in the pecking order and with the new regulations around capping players by World Rugby.

He wasn’t capped by Ireland for a period of 3 years and so he was called up by South Africa and was an integral part of the squad that won the 2023 World Cup on French soil.

He didn’t really have many chances to play with RG Snyman during his time with Munster and he of course moved to play with Leinster at the beginning of last season. Kleyn has certainly helped develop the likes of Edwin Edogbo, Evan O Connell over the past while as injury ruled him out for large periods over the past few years.

Munster will look to promote from within but may also go into the market to see who might be available and looking for a fresh challenge to come and play there rugby with Munster in the URC. Munster is still an attractive proposition to lots of players.

Munster may look to bring in an non Irish qualified player as they have seen Snyman and now Kleyn leave for new challenges. Interesting times ahead now for Munster in their quest to bring in a replacement of equal quality to Kleyn.

Munster were last night beaten by Ulster in Belfast by 28-3. It was Ulster’s first win over Munster since 2024 after Munster did the double over them last season.

Ulster under Richie Murphy and Mark Sexton have kicked on and are playing some good flowing rugby but at times they do get caught between two stools and the results on those days has suggested that Ulster are going in the right direction but are still a work in progress. They are going well in both the league and in the Challenge Cup.

The resigning of Nathan Doak was a key signing as he has defiantly made strides forward this year and was capped by Ireland A back in November vs Spain suggesting he isn’t too far away from the main Irish squad.

Bryn Ward in particular showed his raw power and pace last night. He was key on occasion to keep Ulster on the front foot, he is of course is the son of Andy Ward who played for Ulster and Ireland in the late 90s and early 2000s and was also part of Ulster’s run to European glory in 1999 in Dublin when they beat Colomiers 21-6.

Munster for their part had no answer to Ulster power, precision and accuracy in attack in particular in the second half when they took the game away from Munster completely. Munster have lost both interpros over the Christmas and New Year Period and have 8 days to circle the wagons before going to face Toulon in the Champions Cup.

Since the Argentina game at the beginning of November, Munster have lost momentum and ground in both the league and in Europe. It started oh so well for Clayton Mc Millian winning his first 5 leagues games and then the slip started with Stormers at home giving up a 21-6 half time lead in Limerick and not kicking on.

The loss at Bath in the first round of the Champions Cup certainly exposed Munster’s deficiency’s up front in the front 5 in particular. They have some but not all the components to compete at the top end in Europe.

It will be a long second half of the season if Munster can’t stop the slide and the challenges don’t get smaller, only bigger and steeper now. The struggles at scrum time continue and were again exposed last night time and again.

Munster could potentially be without and John Hodnett and Alex Nankivell who both went off with knocks last night for the trip to Toulon next Sunday 1pm kick off. Munster have been in this position far too often over recent seasons for their own liking and will again have to go to the well in search of a big season defining performance.

The year is in danger of sliding into the “what could have been column” but the one thing Munster have is time and Clayton Mc Millian will earn his money over the next while.

He and his coaches will need to find solutions both in attack as well as defence because Munster have conceded far too many points in certain games, Denis Leamy has been here before and managed to find a few solutions and they are in the similar spot now so time again for Leamy and co to come up with long term lasting answers.

The Munster motto is “ Stand Up and Fight” well it’s time for the players to do just that and help turn the season around…..

I will try and select the squad I feel will be best placed to serve Ireland best in the upcoming 6 Nations that will commence on Thursday 5^th of February when Ireland go to Paris to play in the Stade De France.

Between here and now both injury and suspensions may play a role in who I select here making an impact on the 2026 campaign that begins in just over 1 months’ time. I will select an expanded squad of 41 players given that Ireland A will also take on England A in the same week as the French game.

Forwards –

Andrew Porter, Michael Milne, Jack Boyle – Loosehead

Dan Sheehan, Ronan Kelleher, Gus Mc Carthy – Hooker

Tadgh Furlong, Thomas Clarkson, Sam Wilson, Tom O Toole – Tight Head

Tadgh Beirne, Tom Ahern, Cormac Izuchukwu, Charlie Irvine, Darragh Murray, James Ryan – Lock

Jack Conan, Brian Gleeson, John Hodnett, Josh Van Der Flier, Josh Murphy, Cian Prendergast – Back Row/Number 8 22

Backs –

Craig Casey, Jamison Gibson Park, Ben Murphy, Neil Doak- Scrum Halves

Jack Crowley, Sam Predergast, Harry Byrne, Jack Murphy – Fly Half

Jude Postlethwaite, Dan Kelly, Hugh Gavin, Bundee Aki, Tom Farrell- Centre

Calvin Nash, Shane Daly, Finn Tracey, James Lowe, Tommy O Brien- Wing

Mike Haley, Jacob Stockdale, Mike Lowry – Full Back 21

Here is my attempt at picking a 41 man squad for the 6 Nations, of course as I mention injury or suspension could have an impact on this particular selection.

Ireland have issues at full back in particular. Interesting times ahead with another round of interpro games this weekend then followed by 2 weeks in Europe. It is all to play for every player hoping to wear green for the upcoming 6 Nations.