It’s a hard watch for certain rugby fans in Ireland but RG Snyman was getting “stuck into mauls and scrums” at Leinster training on Monday afternoon.
The giant South African lock made the switch from Munster over the summer and although he won’t feature for Leinster in their BKT United Rugby Championship opener away to Edinburgh on Friday night, he’s on course to recover from a foot injury in the next two to three weeks.
A double World Cup winner with the Springboks in 2019 and 2023, he also helped Munster to the URC title in the 2022/23 season.
However, after joining Munster in 2019, Snyman (below) endured an injury-plagued four years in which he suffered two serious knee injuries.
“He took part in the forwards’ unit session so it’s one step closer in his progression to get back to full fitness,” Leinster assistant coach Robin McBryde told RTÉ Sport after training in sunny conditions in Dublin.
“It’s great to see him out there, he’s involved in everything and hopefully in the next couple of weeks we’ll see him train fully.”
Leinster, Ireland and Lions number 8 Jack Conan says the team, who have gone three seasons without a trophy and were beaten in the last three Champions Cup finals, are excited about what the 29-year-old 6ft 9in, 20-stone lock will bring to the party.
“He’s a player of incredible talent and stature,” said Conan, who is in line for a 149th appearance on Friday night (7.35pm).
“It’s not something we have too much of in Ireland, men of that size.
“Everyone saw what he can do with Munster in the opportunities he got – and with South Africa – so the lads are excited to have him here and add his value and his experience and to get to know him as well.
“He’s a very nice bloke, he’s very chilled. He’s been in rehabbing and on a bit of a different schedule so you mightn’t get as much time in the gym.
“He seems like a very comfortable soul in himself, he’s very chatty, he’s finding his feet pretty quickly in here. He’s a good man and he’s a man mountain.
“Even today he was getting stuck into some mauls and scrums and everything else. Everyone is excited to see what he can do when he gets the opportunity when he gets fully fit.
“He’s making a good effort with lads and getting to know people so he’s been great.
“I’m sure he’s going to springboard forward in the next few months when he gets back playing and add his value to the team.”
Meanwhile, Jamison Gibson-Park (above) was marked down as requiring ‘further assessment’ on a hamstring issue on the province’s injury bulletin today but McBryde said the Ireland scrum-half “was out there running today so I’m not aware of anything that’s been flagged up.”
Leinster will also have Liam Turner (arm), Lee Barron (shoulder) and Alex Soroka (foot) available for selection, the trio having missed the end of last season.
Elsewhere, as expected Munster lock Jean Kleyn is back training fully after recovering from an eye injury that ruled him out of most of last season.
Graham Rowntree’s side welcome Connacht to Thomond Park on Saturday afternoon.
