LAST UPDATE | 29 Mar 2021

MUNSTER ARE SET to sign South African lock Jason Jenkins ahead of next season.

The 25-year-old has one Springboks cap to his name, having played against Wales in 2018 in what was Rassie Erasmus’ first game in charge.

6ft 7ins and 125kg Jenkins is currently with Toyota Verblitz in Japan having previously impressed for the Bulls across more than 50 caps in Super Rugby.

Bulls boss Jake White had expressed his aim of re-signing Jenkins after the Japanese Top League season but The42 understands that Munster are now set to complete a deal to bring him to Ireland this summer.

Jenkins has played the vast majority of his rugby in the second row but does also have some experience at blindside flanker.

Munster second row Billy Holland is retiring at the end of the season but young Irish locks Fineen Wycherley and Thomas Ahern would have hoped to move up the pecking order as a result.

Munster already have Ireland internationals Tadhg Beirne and Jean Kleyn in their second row stocks. Springboks lock RG Snyman has only played once for Munster since arriving last year. However, he is contracted for next season too and will be a key man upon his return from a long-term knee injury.

Munster’s CJ Stander will also retire at the end of the current campaign, meaning 23-year-old Gavin Coombes is expected to become Munster’s first-choice number eight. Although Jenkins has played the majority of his rugby in the second row, he has made appearances at blindside flanker for Toyota Verblitz in Japan and with the Bulls.

Of course, Beirne has also shown his ability to shine in the number six shirt and could make a more permanent move into the back row after Stander’s retirement. 

Jenkins previously played alongside Snyman with the Bulls, while he has another fellow Springbok at Munster in centre Damian de Allende.

Munster head coach Johann van Graan will hope Jenkins can make a major impact up front next season if the deal is officially confirmed.