Jason Jenkins knows altitude matters, but lock has head for heights as Leinster prepare for trek to his homeland

Having come through the Bulls’ academy, where he made a name for himself, Jenkins soon became a first-team regular before he won his one and only cap as a 22-year-old in 2018.

Since then, Jenkins’ journey has taken him to Ireland via Japan. And having missed out on a chance to play against his boyhood club last season, he is set to return home for the next two weeks as Leinster face the Lions in Johannesburg ahead of next week’s game at Loftus Versfield.

“It will be good to get back, it’s nice and close to home,” Jenkins (pictured) said. “I’ll probably see the family when we have a bit of time off; other than that, I’ll be in camp.

“I’m from Pretoria, maybe 15 minutes from where the Bulls are, probably about 40 minutes from where the Lions are in Johannesburg, which also isn’t too bad.

“I’ve never actually played against the Bulls, so last year when we went down with Munster, it was when the new Covid variant hit, and we ended up not playing the game.

“So, yeah, it will be interesting. It will be special to play down in Loftus again, it’s a real special place. I played many years there, lots of my rugby junior levels through to Super Rugby. So it will be a special experience.”

Jenkins will be one of the only Leinster players, in what is largely a young and inexperienced squad, who have played at altitude before.

Even for Jenkins (27), he will have to quickly reacclimatise to the difficult conditions above sea level.

“It’s something you just have to experience; also, you don’t want to blow it up and give it too much credit,” the towering lock maintained. “Once you get there and have a session or two, you sort of blow it out and get used to it; you get that second wind and you’re actually fine.

“I’d say it will still hit me. I haven’t played there for a couple of years now. I guess when you’re from there, you’re always training at that level and playing there, and you don’t realise the effect it has. I haven’t really had much opportunity to go back and see how it is until now, so it will be interesting.

“Initially, it just feels always (tough). At Loftus, in the tunnel, there’s a big sign as you walk onto the field that says, ‘1,350 metres altitude . . . it matters’.

“That’s something to put off the opposition, but it’s all mental.

“There’s a lot of new guys there, but I still know a good few of them, especially guys that have come through from a younger level and are playing consistently now at senior.”

After making a strong start to his Leinster career since joining from Munster, a hamstring injury before Christmas stalled his progress.

Now back fit, Jenkins is determined to finish the season well in the hope of reclaiming his starting spot for the bigger games to come, as well as a place in the Boks’ World Cup squad.

“I’m not putting myself under pressure in any way,” Jenkins added. “I’m just trying to get back, get some good game-time . . . if you can perform in those big games, the rest will look after itself.

“I’m definitely not putting any external pressure on myself in terms of that. What will happen, will happen. Rugby’s a funny old sport, we always say that a week in rugby is a very long time because anything can happen in terms of injuries or anything, really.”