If Jason Jenkins ever felt sorry for himself during his season at Munster, he didn't have to look far to snap out of it.
It was one thing after another for the South African during his season at Munster; six weeks with a shoulder injury was followed by another six weeks with a thigh injury, and after finally making his debut in December 2021, it was quickly followed by another three months on the sidelines.
As frustrating as that time was, watching his best friend RG Snyman struggle through a second ACL rehab put any of his own pain into perspective.
"We'd sit together on the weekends and watch all the games and I’ll feel bad if I complain so I’d rather just stay quiet because he’s been through hell in the last two years, in terms of his knee and off-field things," Jenkins says of Snyman, who he's been friends with since their early days coming through the ranks at the Bulls.
"He’s really had a tough time. I’m really hoping to see him back on the field soon and just to see him crack on. He’s an incredible player, I think Munster will really benefit as soon as he’s back on the field.
"It’s frustrating for him, he wanted to go there and make an impact and he just hasn’t been able to do that."
Snyman still has some chapters to write in his Munster story, but it irks Jenkins that the province's fans never really got to see his own full potential.
By the time he was up and running in the final third of the season, his future move to Leinster had already been confirmed, while the coach that signed him - Johann van Graan - was also heading for the exit door. He played nine times in that final block of games, but only two of those were starts, as Munster's season fizzled out in the quarter-finals of both the URC and Europe.
"Initially when I went to Munster, wherever you go, as a rugby player, you want to make an impact.
"It was frustrating, you lose a bit of faith in your body and you started asking questions like 'Why is all of this happening?'
"But yeah, I was just happy to at least have a good holiday and come over this side and have a good start."
To compound the frustration of Munster fans, he was an instant hit at Leinster, scoring a try on his debut, and playing in nine of their first 10 games in all competitions, with all but one of them being starts.
And while his Leinster career has hit a speedbump in the form of a hamstring injury which has kept him out for the last six weeks, he's back running and getting close to a return.
"I got a second go in Ireland and I was really happy with the start I had, but as I said, it is a contact game, the niggles are going to come as you carry along. I was happy with the start, but hopefully I can have a good back end of the season."
If he's fully fit at the business end of the season, he could be the final piece in the puzzle for the province to get their hands on the Champions Cup trophy once again, after some frustrating near-misses.
In each of their last three campaigns, their ability to deal with the most powerful packs - and specifically Will Skelton - has been identified as their achilles heel, but with Jenkins coming it at a hefty 125kg and 6ft8in, it could be just enough to tip the scales in their favour.
Moving from Munster to Leinster, he went from a squad hoping to win to a squad that expected it.
"Look, they are both extremely professional setups and it's been an honour to be part of both of them.
"I think Leinster is obviously very professional as well, the way they train, there is a lot of ownership on the players, which is really nice to see. Attention to detail is another big thing as well.
"I have had to step up in that department as well, in terms of knowing your detail, knowing your role in the team. And just the preparation and everything that goes with that.
"I think Leinster doesn't really try and build up a team that we are playing against or a game in particular.
"You are always focusing on yourself and as a team, we take a lot of confidence from how we prepare. So I think that's a big thing, just executing what we want to do and I think that's what makes it difficult for teams to keep up with us," he added.
His early-season form also brought him back into contention with the Springboks. Having made his debut for South Africa against Wales in 2018, he's still waiting for that second cap, although having been recalled to the senior squad in November, and featuring for South Africa A in their tour games against Munster and Bristol Bears, he's come back into contention for a World Cup place.
For a while, he thought his international ship had sailed.
"Over in Japan it sort of felt like that a little bit. But that was one of the reasons I came to Ireland.
"I think often guys who go to Japan are out of sight, out of mind in a sense. Personally, I wanted to challenge myself and I am still young enough to be able to do that.
"I thought I'd give myself a couple of years and challenge myself and see if I could get back into the squad."
And he emphatically rejects the suggestion that his recall to the Springboks squad was just to gain some inside information on the Irish provinces.
"I think there was a lot of speculation a couple of months ago around that. I can honestly say Rassie and Jacques didn't ask me anything.
"I didn't pay too much attention to that. I just heard one or two rumours around it. I didn't read anything regarding it. But I wouldn't focus too much on media and off pitch things.
"People are always going to say things to try and get as much attention to whatever it may be. It didn't affect me too much.
"But I guess you don't want people's perception to be that in terms of your reason for being there, but it didn't bother me."
With Ireland and South Africa set to collide again at the World Cup in France this year, his inside knowledge would certainly come in handy.
"Yeah, that would be something special, but we'll see what happens."
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