HAVING HANDED HIM a well-deserved rest for last week’s 10-0 success over Connacht in Galway, Leinster head coach Leo Cullen is confident Jason Jenkins can continue his impressive start to the season against former side Munster at the Aviva Stadium this evening.
While the South African’s time in the southern province amounted to just 10 first-team appearances in the 2021/22 campaign, he has been a revelation since making the switch to their arch rivals. In addition to starting four times in the Leinster second row, the Pretoria native has scored tries in victories against Zebre (his debut) and Cell C Sharks.
“I think he’s excited by the challenge. It’s about playing here in the Aviva in front of a big crowd, a big occasion. He’ll be nervous, but he’s enjoyed his time thus far. It’s another step up for a big day and we’ll see how he copes with everything,” Cullen remarked at a press conference in the Aviva Stadium yesterday.
“The lads have taken good care of him. It’s good to see he’s had that decent block and hopefully he can push on now with a game this week. We’re off to Scarlets next week as well, when we’ll be missing a number of players. It’s a good challenge, but we’ll focus on the here and now.”
Much like that aforementioned clash with Connacht, Leinster’s previous interprovincial tussle against Ulster at Kingspan Stadium on 30 September proved to be a war of attrition. On that occasion, the Blues had to contend with monsoon-like conditions in the Belfast venue before eventually securing a 20-13 triumph.
Another deluge last Friday week made it virtually impossible for his side to enforce their attacking game on Andy Friend’s westerners and after training amidst a downpour in south Dublin on Friday, Cullen is hoping for a break from the worst of what the Irish weather has to offer.
“We are hoping that the conditions will allow it to be a bit more fluid. We trained out there now and it was lashing rain and thankfully we weren’t on the pitch on Wednesday when it was thunder and lightning at lunchtime,” Cullen added.
“They are due to be better tomorrow. If they are, we will be able to hopefully play the type of game we want to play, but you have to be able to adapt to the day. That’s the beauty of the game, where conditions can be a real leveller on any given day.”
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