For a big unit like Stravino Jacobs, recovering from injuries takes time.
It was especially difficult for the 25-year-old Bulls wing from Paarl, who weighs in at about 103kg and stands 1.80m tall, when he sustained a serious ankle injury in last year’s Currie Cup semi-final against the Sharks.
It has taken Jacobs a while to find his feet again at Loftus Versfeld, but after a bit of a shaky return against Zebre a fortnight ago, he was back to his powerful best in the Bulls’ 32-22 Challenge Cup victory over Bayonne in France last week.
He did score a stunning try against Zebre a week earlier in Pretoria, when he burst through the front line and then sidestepped the last defender to dive over under the posts.
But Jacobs was much more assured with his ball-carrying against Bayonne, and also got stuck in with relish with his tackles as Jake White’s team survived the hostile cauldron at the Stade Jean Dauger to remain in the hunt for the title.
“After the Currie Cup semi-final, I tore my syndesmosis (high ankle sprain), and I was out for between six and eight weeks,” Jacobs said this week ahead of Saturday’s Challenge Cup quarter-final against Edinburgh in Scotland (1.30pm start).
Stravino Jacobs with that step 😮💨🏃♂️
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The Vodacom Bulls get their third try of the match 🏉🔵
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“But when I got back, I also struggled with my weight, and a bit of conditioning.
“But I think I have all of that behind me, and I feel like the old Stravino in 2020, when I made my Currie Cup debut.
“I like to take contact, but I must mix it up a bit to now and then bring in a step, or to run over the guys! But I take it as it comes.”
Jacobs got a taste of his own medicine when he was bumped off by giant Bayonne centre Federico Mori – “I must feel it also, because I can also dish it out”, he said with a giggle – but he is confident of producing another impactful display against Edinburgh.
He has been combining well with fullback Devon Williams and right wing Sergeal Petersen in recent weeks, and if the Bulls pack can dominate in the scrums and lineouts once more, the backline can strike.
Jacobs isn’t looking forward to the 4G pitch, though.
“I haven’t played on one, so this weekend will be my first time. But over the last few years, we’ve trained on the 4G pitch,” he said.
“It is a bit fast, but it also hurts a bit – especially for someone like me, who struggles with my ankles.
“I get a lot of shin splints on it, but I don’t know... We will see how I feel this weekend on that pitch.
“I would say that I target anyone. I am physical, and it doesn’t matter whom I play against.
“I like to ball-carry, get (over) the gain-line... I measure myself against myself.
“We have a lot of flair at the back, especially with Devon at fullback and Goose (Johan Goosen) coming on from the bench as an impact player.
“We are all on the same page, and we understand each other.
“I think momentum (will be important against Edinburgh)... If our forwards get momentum, that puts the backs on a good footing.
“If they can run through them, then us at the back can bring the flair, and we can score some tries.”
White will name his team on Friday for the Edinburgh encounter, and it will be interesting to see whether he continues to “mix and match” his line-up as he did last week, or picks his best possible side.
There are two huge United Rugby Championship away games after this weekend, against Munster on April 19 and defending champions Glasgow on April 25, so White will have to box clever to field competitive teams in every encounter.