Jaden Hendrikse grateful to be injury-free and back with the Boks

Springbok scrumhalf Jaden Hendrikse was happy to be back with the national team at the weekend and giving it his all after a spell on the sidelines saw him miss the start of the international season.

Hendrikse picked up an injury with the Sharks during the franchise season, and was ruled out of the Boks’ start to the season that included the one-off Test against Wales at Twickenham, and Incoming Series against Ireland and Portugal.

Although he returned to fitness just in time for the Rugby Championship, having been out for a few months, the Bok management decided to let him get back to match fitness with the Sharks in the Currie Cup, which led to him missing the first three games in the Rugby Championship against the Wallabies and All Blacks.

He finally made his first Bok appearance since featuring against Tonga in last year’s World Cup, off the bench over the past weekend against the All Blacks in Cape Town, replacing his fellow Sharks teammate Grant Williams.

Even with Faf de Klerk currently ruled out with injury, the Bok scrumhalf depth makes for strong competition with Williams, Cobus Reinach and the emergence of Lions scrummy Morne van den Berg, bolstering the department, so Hendrikse was just happy to get another chance to play.

Give it my all

“If I get the minutes, I go out there and do my role, and what I need to execute on the day. Even if I don’t play I have a responsibility to prepare the team well. So even if I don’t play I give it my all,” explained Hendrikse.

“It’s a privilege to be in the team. Even just being in the squad is a privilege and it’s not a good feeling when you’re not with the team and watching (from the sidelines). Especially with how they’ve been playing, winning and playing for each other.

“So just being out there, getting some minutes (under the belt) and getting that opportunity, I am very grateful.”

In the game against the All Blacks Hendrikse partnered up with exciting rising flyhalf talent Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu for the first time, but didn’t have any problem linking up with the newbie who has made a massive splash since making his Bok debut at the start of the international season.

“For us we have a gameplan. So whoever you play with you know what your goal and responsibility in the team is. Even when playing with someone different (who you have never played with before), you know what the gameplan is and what to execute on the day,” said Hendrikse.

With the Boks set to announce split squads later this week for the final two Rugby Championship games against Argentina away and at home, it will be interesting to see whether Hendrikse will be on the plane to Buenos Aires or staying in SA to prepare for the Mbombela Test.