Lock Jason Jenkins says the Sharks will look to a resurgent set piece to nullify the threat posed by RG Snyman when Leinster jog out in Durban on Saturday.
Last week, the Sharks scored five tries at Kings Park to edge Zebre 35-34, a performance that left coach John Plumtree concerned about what may happen when Leinster visit in round 14.
Meanwhile, David Kriel kicked an 84th-minute penalty to hand the Bulls a dramatic 21-20 victory over Leinster at Loftus. The decisive penalty stemmed from a dominant Bulls scrum on Leinster’s feed, allowing Kriel to step up and slot a 40-metre kick, sealing the log leaders’ first defeat of the 2024-25 URC season
“We saw how important the physical side of the game was. Especially at the set piece,” Jenkins said at a press conference on Tuesday. “The lineouts and scrums won the game for the Bulls last weekend.
Watch: Siya can’t stop scoring!
“That is a real focus point for us and as a pack we are feeling confident to bring that on Saturday. That is an area where we can attack them and give our backline the opportunity to create some magic with that momentum.
“Our scrums in the past three or four weeks have come a long way. We are feeling really dominant and our lineouts and mauling have been more accurate. We will keep working on it but the forwards are feeling good.”
Leinster’s squad is littered with international talent, including the likes of Jordie Barrett and Springbok bruiser Snyman. Jenkins is well aware of the threat of the 40-cap Bok, whose physical attributes and unique skills present a nightmarish challenge for the Sharks on Saturday.
“There is no secret to stopping RG Snyman,” Jenkins added. “Everyone at the Sharks has either played with him or against him at some point in their career.”
“We know what type of threat he poses. All you can do is tackle low and hard. There is not much else.
“We have to play what is in front of us. He is an incredible playmaker for Leinster and a physical player. We are looking forward to that challenge.”
ALSO: Bok champ goes under the knife
Jenkins spent four years in Ireland after a stint in Japan, joining Leinster from rivals Munster in 2022. After two years with the eight-time Pro14 winners, Jenkins returned to the Republic for the Sharks in 2024.
“Leinster have great systems,” Jenkins said when asked about his time in the Emerald Isle. “The players are coached exceptionally well from a young age.”
“They aren’t as blessed as South Africa, which has a constant flow of players coming through so they have to focus more on a concentrated pool of players.
“It gives them more continuity. From Leinster’s point of view, all their players understand the game plan. I know personally how much effort goes into analysis and work off the field. It’s a massive point of difference for them.”
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
