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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Michael Scully

Munster's Jean Kleyn dismisses controversial Stormers video as "a load of puff"

Jean Kleyn has dismissed the storm over the Stormers' celebratory video after Munster beat Leinster as "a load of puff".

Now seven years with Munster, the South Africa born Ireland international who was once a Stormers player himself insists there is no controversy to be addressed.

Joseph Dweba's 'f*** them up' comments that went viral online after Munster's surprise URC semi-final victory that meant the Stormers would stay at home at the Cape Town Stadium for Saturday's final.

READ MORE: Battle hardened Munster ready for most important away day in URC final - Denis Leamy

Nor does Kleyn believe there was anything in one of the Stormers' coaches, Rito Hlungwani, backing up Dweba's off the cuff remarks.

"Do you know what? I didn't actually see the video myself," said Kleyn. "I don't really go looking for those kinds of things and it didn't cross my path. I heard a lot about it, though.

"Look, I think any team that gets a home final would be delighted with it, you know? Whatever was said in the video or whatever happened, I'm not sure.

"But from my perspective, I think if the roles were reversed, we'd be delighted as well. So, yeah, I've heard a lot of talk about the video but to be honest, it's all a load of puff.

"Any team getting a home final after thinking they'd be playing Leinster away -- when that's your other option - I think Munster at home seems pretty good. But I'd say we'll see on Saturday what the result leads to.

"I think once again we're reading way too much into it. From a players standpoint he couldn't exactly have the coach go, 'oh no, we are definitely not going to do that', you know what I mean?

"I'd say they were probably a few beers in after the game, things were said and you can't back down after saying it like that so I think that's as much as is in it.

"Look, we know what we have to go out and do, we are very much up for the battle so we'll see what happens on Saturday.

"We are prepping ourselves to do our best and perform at our highest level and I don't think there's anything else to be said about the video, to be honest."

Speaking from Munster's Cape Town base this afternoon, the experienced second row baulked at the suggestion that Munster may be in bonus territory having seen off the championship favourites Leinster.

"Well, we are absolutely not in bonus territory," Kleyn said. "There's nothing bonus about this.

"This is what we play for, this is what we've been working the last 48 weeks towards. It's a final, it wasn't a victory over Leinster in the semi-final - in the greater scheme of things that means absolutely nothing to us.

"Like, why should a victory over Leinster in a semi-final be bigger than a victory over the reigning champions at their home ground?

"You've flown 10,000 kilometres to play in front of a crowd of 55,000 people, of which maybe 53,000 will be Stormers supporters. How is that overshadowed by a victory over Leinster?

"Look, I'm not taking anything away from the victory over Leinster, it was obviously a very big thing for us but that's not the be all and end all. That's not why we play.

"Munster isn't there to beat Leinster, Munster is there to win championships."

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