RG Snyman can’t be blamed for two ACL injuries he sustained, or for the revival of Jean Kleyn’s South African credentials by Rassie Erasmus. Nor can he be faulted for Munster making the decision to let him go – a decision they relayed to him shortly after their World Cup victory. In the complex narrative of the Leinster-Munster rivalry, few solitary players have sparked as much interest as him.
Considering his participation in South Africa’s successful Rugby Championship, Rudolph Gerhardus Snyman should be taking time off. However, a foot injury meant he had to miss the concluding matches, which resulted in an earlier than expected arrival at Leinster HPC in UCD. All the same, Snyman’s injury was minor enough for him to make his Leinster debut last week, when they triumphed in Treviso. Importantly, he’s set to make his inaugural home appearance in the distinctive blue against the reds at Croke Park this Saturday.
Tagging RG Snyman as the bad guy is just nonsensical, as Gerry Thornley points out. He also provides insights on the upcoming Leinster v Munster game at Croke Park this Saturday and delves into how this rivalry became the most significant club game in worldwide rugby.
Injury issues left Snyman restricted to just 20 appearances in his four-season stint with Munster, but fans are bracing themselves for him to exceed that record in his initial season with Leinster, a prospect Leinster’s supporters are relishing.
Picking up from where Steven Kitshoff at Ulster and Siya Kolisi at Racing left, having returned to South Africa sooner than expected, Snyman’s limited play time at Munster fuels the discussion around the worth of hiring South African World Cup champions.
It wasn’t to be blamed on Snyman, that just seven minutes into his first match for Munster, ironically against Leinster in a rescheduled closed-doors game at Aviva Stadium in August 2020, he experienced an ACL tear, condemning him to the sidelines for 14 months. His return was marked by a triumphant try against the Stormers in his second appearance, drawing roars from the Thomond Park crowd. Yet, the harsh reality struck again, when Snyman incurred another ACL injury eight days later at Parc Y Scarlets.
A 16-month break unfolded, allowing him to support Munster’s URC title through guest appearances. Despite also suffering a shoulder injury post World Cup, making Munster release him, Snyman had played a role in the Springboks retaining the trophy.
The blame fell upon Munster’s former head coach, the notorious Erasmus, who had taken advantage of World Rugby’s altered eligibility rules and enlisted Kleyn, whose surprise journey to a winners’ medal was one of the World Cup’s real uplifting moments.
This decision, however, left Munster with two Springbok locks, forcing one to be displaced. If they retained both, they could’ve faced backlash for impeding the progress of Tom Ahern and Edwin Edogbo.
However, Munster did provide ample time to Snyman to seek other opportunities. Ironically, his most fruitful period at Munster followed, with eight starts and two bench appearances.
During this period, Jacques Nienaber agreed to assume the role of head coach at Leinster. Snyman and his spouse, Saskia, grew fond of Ireland, where she was preparing for her marketing exams and working with Ernst & Young. They didn’t wish to move on.
Through his association with Jason Jenkins, Snyman had also familiarised himself with Dublin. Thus, when Leinster extended their offer, it was an agreeable proposition to all parties involved.
It seems David Nucifora, the IRFU’s outgoing performance director, was not completely pleased with the development. However, with Leinster agreeing to let Jenkins go, the chain of peculiar incidents led to one Springbok taking over from another. Despite Snyman’s history of injuries, Leinster went ahead with the decision, hoping that with better health luck it could prove advantageous.
Leinster’s team pick for the match may provide an indication of how they plan to utilise Snyman. The Springboks certainly value him as a highly impactful player in their Bomb Squad; he had featured in 13 out of 14 games at the World Cups in 2019 and 2023, with 11 appearances as a sub.
However, with Joe McCarthy’s leg injury, Leinster had the flexibility to start the game with both Snyman and James Ryan.
Snyman, who enjoyed popularity in Munster circles, appears to have adapted effortlessly to his new surroundings. Jack Conan expressed his admiration post Snyman’s debut at Stadio di Communale, drawing similarities with Dev Toner and praising his personality. Snyman received praise from Munster members and has adjusted quite well in the recent weeks. It’s clear that he’s a relaxed and self-confident person who goes about his business without fuss.
It’s unlikely that any of his previous Munster teammates would resent Snyman’s shift to Leinster. Everyone would hope that he gets a break from injury soon. He has earned it. It should be noted that Snyman is by no means the adversary in this context.