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The 124kg 'enforcer' Matfield tips to 'take over' from Etzebeth
By Josh Raisey
Leinster knew what was coming their way in their Investec Champions Cup quarter-final against holders La Rochelle, and they prepared accordingly.
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It is not necessarily hard to predict what is going to come from a team that boasts literal and figurative rugby giants in the form of Will Skelton and Uini Atonio, weighing 290kg combined, but the last two Champions Cup finals have given Leinster an extra taste of what the Top 14 powerhouse bring.
Leo Cullen and Jacques Nienaber fielded a team that would confront Ronan O’Gara’s side head-on, with 124kg lock Jason Jenkins coming in for his first start in over a month. He repaid their faith handsomely.
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In a display where La Rochelle’s power up front was completely neutralised, the South African was at the heart of Leinster’s cause as they won 40-13. Only one Leinster player made more tackles than the lock, despite coming off the field with half an hour to play.
It was a display that would have caught the eye of South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus.
Jenkins has just one cap to his name in what was an almost unrecognisable Springboks team against Wales in the USA in 2018.
Injuries have not helped chances, but he has been in Springbok camps since 2018 which shows he is on the radar. His move to the Sharks at the end of the season will see him move from on the radar to smack-bang in Erasmus’ face week in, week out.
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What’s more, he has recently received an endorsement from Victor Matfield. As far as endorsements go for a South African lock, they don’t get much better than one from the legendary second row and the Springboks’ most-capped player ever.
Speaking at a BKT United Rugby Championship media call recently, the Bulls great recalled coaching Jenkins and fellow Springbok lock RG Snyman as teenagers when his career had come to an end and their Bulls career was blossoming.
“When I retired, I coached him and RG Snyman as 19-year-old boys and I must say I was very impressed,” he said.
“He only started playing rugby as a 16-year-old, and just the skillset, the work rate, he’s a big boy, a strong boy that likes to get on the front foot.”
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The Springboks are not exactly suffering from a dearth of second rows currently, but Matfield was nevertheless surprised Jenkins failed to make the World Cup last year, but is backing him to break back into the national set-up in the future. Not only that, but he actually sees him as Eben Etzebeth’s heir in the South Africa No4 jersey.
He added: “I actually thought last year he would have been in the Springboks squad for the World Cup as well. I was very surprised when he didn’t make it.
“He’s coming back to South Africa, I think we’ll see him in a Springboks jersey pretty soon and he’s probably a guy that might take over from Eben Etzebeth as that hard worker, enforcer, just being in your face and getting back to partnering RG Snyman. Both of them are very good mates as well.
“I think he’s a fantastic player. He’s got a very high work rate, good skill set, and he likes to get stuck in as well. He’s that real No4 type of forward that you would like in your team.”
Jenkins is only four years Etzebeth’s junior, so their careers will largely overlap. But a four-year age gap means the Leinster man may have an extra World Cup cycle in him.
Crucially, with his solitary cap, he has not been ravaged by the demands of Test rugby, meaning there is a chance his career could go well into his 30s. Deon Fourie has shown in recent years that your age is in no way a barrier to entry for selection.
In Matfield’s eyes it is a case of when, rather than if, Jenkins gets into the Springboks squad, and when he does, he is tipping him for big things.
Jason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps.
Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
What does that have to do with recognizing a player on current form?
If Jenkins is in form and performing well for Leinster - what does comparing him to Etzebeth’s once in a generation rugby career have to do with anything?
How many international caps did Lukanyo Am have going into the 2019 WC? Libbok going into 2023? Both were 26. Deon Fourie? Shalk Britz?
You know better than Matfield and Nienaber?
Many players have less caps than they should have. Take Frans Steyn, for instance. This guy only started playing when he was 16 and that is a massive achievement. Clearly he did not suffer any development issues in those crucial junior rugby years up to then, so maybe Matfield could be spot on. Time will tell, but he must have a lot of natural talent, given his history.