MUNSTER LOCK BILLY Holland admits he has been blown away by the impact his second-row partner Jean Kleyn has made this season and says he’s straight from the mould of Springbok great Bakkies Botha.
Kleyn missed most of last season due to ankle and neck injuries, but on his return to the team his impact has been significant with four tries in three starts as well as solid performances in general play.
And Holland says he enjoys playing alongside the South African native – who becomes Ireland eligible in two years’ time – and that he reminds him of the 85-cap Botha.
“I suppose he’s your typical South African four lock, your Bakkies Botha type of character, and it’s something that has really helped us so far this season,” said Holland, who was capped himself for Ireland last season.
“As a player you don’t care who you’re playing with as long as you’re playing and as long as you’re winning but JK (Kleyn), when a guy comes in like he did last year, and the same with GG (Gerbrandt Groebler) this year, and you get injured it’s quite difficult.
What he’s done while he’s been injured, he’s added a fair bit of bulk and he’s just flying around the pitch at the moment and he does create a lot of damage in mauls and in the breakdown situation.”
When Botha was in his prime he was seen as the ‘enforcer’ lock, while Victor Matfield called the line-outs, and right now the Kleyn/Holland partnership has many of the hallmarks of that duo.
Holland was not inclined to pigeon-hole himself into either position, but he thinks they will be a success if they both play to their strengths.
“In South Africa, it’s very big on having your enforcer and your line-out caller. I don’t think every nation is like that but he’s certainly in the Bakkies Botha type of mould. He does certain things and he does them really well.
“He doesn’t try and be all things to everything. He’s developing his game, you saw him throw a big offload at the weekend, but he’s a big man, creates a lot of momentum in attack and defence and he’s a good guy to play with.
“I played with Donnacha Ryan a lot last year and you’d say we’re both kind of similar at certain things and different in others. So I don’t try and be (different), I just play the way I’ve always played.
“I can’t try and become a Bakkies Botha-type player, you’d need to be, what is he, 125 kilos and 6′ 8″ – I can’t change that overnight! There’s nothing you can do about that.
“You know, people spend a lot of time trying to make up for deficits whereas as the important thing is to stay good and get even better at what you’re good at. That’s something I focus on a lot.”
Holland and Kleyn could link up again this Friday in Munster’s biggest test of the season to date away to unbeaten Glasgow Warriors. Munster claimed four wins from four in last season’s meetings between the teams and Holland would settle for another win of any colour.
“Yeah, look, every time we play Glasgow there’s a point here or there in it. They’ve had a really good start to the season. Dave Rennie, their new coach has added an extra edge to their play, they’ve become very physical and abrasive in their defence. They’ve also recruited really well.
“But it’s going to be a tough one. They’re going to be eyeing this one up big time. They’re three from three as well, it’s a top of the table clash in the conference or whatever you want to call it at this point of the season.”
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