It could easily be argued that Springbok lock Jason Jenkins possesses the grit and toughness that would make him an easy addition to any side across the world.
And that Jenkins only crime in a rugby career filled with highlights, is that he was born in a golden era for Springbok locks.
Jenkins return to the national set-up is not something that has come out of the blue. The big former Bulls lock was tipped for greatness ever since he was paired with RG Snyman as a junior at Loftus Versfeld way back in 2016.
While Snyman’s career flourished and the “freak of an athlete” - as several coaches have eluded to Snyman before - went on to win a World Cup, Jenkins has stayed in the shadows, plying his craft and dealing with injury setbacks while all the while being one of the best ball carriers in world rugby.
It is no surprise he has been so highly rated by coaches across the world, from Jake White recruiting him in Japan to Johann van Graan at Munster and then Leo Cullen at Leinster, Jenkins has all the hallmarks of a top international player. Big, physical and able to play both at lock and flank, he has attributes that few players have, and that all coaches want in a pack.
“HE KNOWS THE TOUGH STUFF”
Asked back when Jenkins signed for Munster why he was signed, assistant coach Stephan Larkham had an easy answer - “he knows the tough stuff”.
"Well, first and foremost experience: Springbok, Springbok 'A's, experience in Japan - albeit a different competition - playing for the Bulls in South Africa. He's a South African forward - he knows the tough stuff,” Larkham said.
"He gives us coverage in all positions in the back-five - not going to put him in the front-row - but he can certainly play every position in the back-five. And I think he's going to bring experience to all of those players, whether they're young or old or in the team, he's going to give us good experience there."
It was a similar answer that Leo Cullen gave when he was asked why he signed Jenkins. “He’s a big man and I think you have seen what he has delivered in the first few games of the season,” Cullen said
“It’s the mindset of the South Africans as well, the teams we come up against now on a regular basis in the URC. I’m not sure that our guys really understand that, if I am being totally honest. You can talk about it but until you really come up against it. I think we saw first-hand against the Bulls what it was like and obviously Jason has come through that.”
“Just the attention to detail around set-piece in particular. How the South African teams test you out in certain facets of the game would the big piece for me. Contact area, big physical men. Even in terms of the logistics of travelling to South Africa, how you manage that trip.”
LEINSTER FORM
Jenkins has been in sublime form for Leinster, scoring two tries in five games and being the master of Leinster’s maul, which has been unstoppable this season. In all he hasn’t just earned his recall to the national set-up, he has smashed the door down.
Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber said as much in selecting him, remembering how he faded from sight after his single cap against Wales in Washington.
“He has got one cap for South Africa and that was the first test match that Rassie was head coach for in 2018 against Wales in Washington. Then after that Jason went abroad and I just think he had a bad run. Last year for Munster he played ten games, he only started 20 per cent of the games, he had a lot of injuries and stuff that he had to get through but I mean this year he played five games now for Leinster and he is playing good rugby, he is playing consistently, starting games, finishing games, scored two great tries. So yeah, he is really playing good rugby.”
HORROR RUN AT MUNSTER
It is a thought echoed by Van Graan, who coached him at junior level and at Munster and while Jenkins had a horror injury run at Munster, there isn’t someone happier for him than Van Graan that he is back in the national mix.
“We crossed paths the first time at the SA under-20s when he and RG were the two locks. That was the first time I coached him while I was at the Springboks. He is an unbelievable person that began his rugby career relatively late but he is a sponge, he always wants to learn,” Van Graan explains.
“He has a physical ability that few players possess. When we looked for a replacement for CJ Stander, I wanted to bring in a ball carrier who had the same ball-carrying abilities as CJ.
“That’s why we looked at Jason, he was primarily a lock but can also play blindside flank. When he arrived at Munster he unfortunately got injured and spent a long time injured. It was unfortunate because we had him and RG both down to play the Scarlets and the week before he made a linebreak at training and tore his quad. RG did his ACL for the second time in that game at Scarlets.
“By the end of the season he started playing and made a huge impact from the bench - especially in the Toulouse quarterfinal in the European Champions Cup.”
UNIQUE ABILITY
Van Graan says Jenkins is a player that has abilities that few in world rugby possess.
“He is one of the few players in World Rugby that you can play at 4, 5, 6 and 8 - his ball-carrying abilities stand out. He has incredibly soft hands in contact. He can carry hard but can also get a ball out in contact. Defensively he is very strong. He is one of the few players that are over 2m in world rugby that can poach as well. That is a strength.
“He can jump and contest anywhere in the lineout. One thing few people know is how good he is at the maul, on both sides of the ball. If you look at Leinster’s maul, at the front all the weight and power comes through him, and they are one of the best in Europe.
“He has always been a test-calibre player and its great that his injuries are behind him and he has been rewarded with a Bok call-up.”
Now that he has gotten a second chance, all eyes will be on Jenkins to see what he makes of it. If he can replicate his Leinster form, who knows? A World Cup call-up may not be too far away.