VIDEO: Springboks over Munster for RG Snyman
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Munster could be without the services of Springboks duo RG Snyman and Damian De Allende at the start of 2020/21 Champions Cup season if the Rugby Championship proceeds.
The arrival of Snyman, alongside fellow Springbok De Allende, has generated huge excitement among Munster supporters in recent weeks and the 25-year-old Snyman could make his debut appearance in red when the province’s Pro14 season resumes against Leinster at the Aviva Stadium on August 22.
However, with the six-week Rugby Championship scheduled to take place in New Zealand from November 7 through until the second weekend of December this year, the pair's Pro14 season might be interrupted by international duty.
Given that the proposed Rugby Championship kicks off on November 7, it means that the players will have to travel to New Zealand as early as October.
New Zealand's self-isolation is two weeks and an additional two weeks training schedule has to be work into the travelling schedule.
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Part of the 2019 World Cup-winning squad, it is very obvious that Snyman and De Allende will be certain to feature in the plans of Rassie Erasmus and new Springboks coach Jacques Nienaber.
The temporary extension of World Rugby’s Regulation 9 for the adjusted Test calendar makes it difficult for European clubs to deny players leave of absence.
This means that duo will miss a couple of Pro14 games as well as the Champions Cup opening match on December 11/12/13.
Speaking to the Irish media for the first time since his arrival in Ireland during lockdown, Snyman said: "There is still a lot going on to see if the games in the Rugby Championship will go ahead.
"But yes. I am lucky Munster are allowing me to play for the Springboks."
Snyman has been settling into life in Limerick in recent weeks and acclimatising on the training pitch with his new teammates as Munster build towards the back-to-back Pro14 Inter-provincial derbies later this month.
Having spent three seasons in Japan’s Top League in Honda Heat, and featured in Super Rugby for the Bulls in 2017, 2018 and 2019, Snyman admits he’ll need to re-adjust to the northern hemisphere game as he bids to make a big impression for the province.
"The rugby here is a little more physical so I’m looking forward to that," he continued.
"And also broadening my game a little in terms of set-piece.
“The weather will play a big part in games. In the last couple of weeks, the weather has turned a little bit and it’s not as easy to hold onto the ball as it might be in South Africa or Japan. So I will have to adapt a little bit but it should be okay, I can adapt."
He added: "Munster are a very tradition-rich club and mainly the biggest reason I came here was because of coach Johann [van Graan].
“I haven’t worked under him that much before, even though I know him a long time. But I do know that he’s a quality coach. Speaking to anyone that has ever worked with him, it’s only positive [things that they say]. I really enjoyed my time in Japan. From a career perspective, I thought it was a better move to come over to Munster and work under coach Johann to keep moving forward and keep improving.
“I still think I need to work on the smaller details from a technical side and working under him is great for that because he is very technical and his off-field work is very detailed.”
Source: @IrishRugby & The42ie