VIDEO: Sharks a pathway to Bok return?
Sharks and Springbok lock Jason Jenkins returned to South Africa in July when he joined the Durban-based side from Leinster.
Following a successful two-year stint at the Irish province, in which he played 39 games, the burly lock decided it was time to ‘come back home’.
A big factor behind his decision was his desire to don the Green and Gold jersey again.
“I felt like it was the right time for me to come back home and still have aspirations to play for the Springboks,” the one-cap international said ahead of the Sharks versus Stormers United Rugby Championship Round Seven encounter in Durban on Saturday.
The 29-year-old, who made his only Bok appearance in a one-off Test match against Wales in 2018, says he admired what the Sharks are building in Durban.
(Article continues below the Jason Jenkins interview …)
“I thought it was the perfect opportunity for me, and I’m very grateful that coach John Plumtree allowed me to come back here.
“I thought that [coming to the Sharks was] putting myself in the best possible position to try and make that [Bok dream come true].
“You’re basically in a Springbok pack, and I think just to be amongst them is beneficial for my game as an individual.”
Jenkins says he knew that joining the Sharks would mean facing stiff competition in his position.
“I think it’s so healthy for an environment to have that competition.
“We’re constantly pushing each other and we’re all good mates, but you’re always fighting for that position.”
On the expectations for him in the black jersey, Jenkins says that it’s a ‘healthy pressure’.
“It’s a privilege to have that pressure. You want to get the best out of yourself and give your best for your team, so to have those guys around you is the ideal condition to play well.”
Jenkins will be in action in Round Seven of the URC this weekend when the Sharks host the Stormers in Durban.
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Watch the highly acclaimed five-part documentary Chasing the Sun 2, chronicling the journey of the Springboks as they strive to successfully defend the Rugby World Cup, free on RugbyPass TV (*unavailable in Africa)
