David Morgan Jenkins
Encyclopedia
David "Dai" Morgan Jenkins (1901 - 22 April 1968) was a Welsh
dual-code international rugby union
and professional rugby league
footballer of the 1920s and '30s. As an amateur union
player he represented Kenfig Hill
, Treorchy
, and Glamorgan Police RFC
, while as a professional rugby league
footballer he played for Hunslet
, Leeds
and Dewsbury
. Jenkins was capped at international level for his country as a union and league player.
. After leaving school he joined local club Kenfig Hill, but by the time he was selected to represent Wales
in 1926, he had switched to Rhondda
team, Treorchy. His first international appearance was in the opening Wales game of the 1926 Five Nations Championship
; played against England at the Cardiff Arms Park
. The game ended in a 3-3 draw, but Jenkins had done enough to secure his place with the Welsh selectors, and was chosen for the three remaining games of the Championship; a loss away to Scotland, followed by wins over Ireland and France. It is unknown if Jenkins would have been selected for any further rugby union internationals as in August 1926 he switched codes, becoming a professional rugby league player with Hunslet.
Dai Jenkins won three caps for Wales
while at Hunslet, his first on 26 April 1927 in an encounter with England at Broughton. This was followed by another two caps in 1928 and 1931, both games against England. The 1928 match, played at Cardiff, saw Jenkins score a try, the only international points of his career. In 1931 he switched from Hunslet to Leeds, and in 1932 won his final cap for Wales, in his fourth encounter with England, and all resulting in loses for Wales. In 1934 he moved clubs again, switching from Leeds to Dewsbury.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
dual-code international rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
and professional rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer of the 1920s and '30s. As an amateur union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player he represented Kenfig Hill
Kenfig Hill RFC
Kenfig Hill Rugby Football Club is a rugby union team from the village of Kenfig Hill, South Wales. Kenfig Hill RFC presently play in the Welsh Rugby Union Division Three South West League. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Ospreys...
, Treorchy
Treorchy RFC
Treorchy Rugby Football Club is a rugby union team from the village of Treorchy, in the Rhondda Valley, Wales. They formed in 1886 and by 1891 were a strong voice in the Welsh Football Union and were playing in the Rhondda Division...
, and Glamorgan Police RFC
Glamorgan Police RFC
Glamorgan Police RFC was a Welsh rugby union team that that served the Glamorgan Police force before the emalgamation of the four district police forces of South Wales in 1969...
, while as a professional rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer he played for Hunslet
Hunslet Hawks
Hunslet Hawks is a professional rugby league club based in Hunslet, West Yorkshire, England. The club, sometimes known as 'the Parksiders' after their former stadium, are currently champions of Championship One.-History:-Early years:...
, Leeds
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
and Dewsbury
Dewsbury Rams
Dewsbury Rams RLFC is a professional rugby league club based in the West Yorkshire town of Dewsbury. They are arguably most famous for becoming Champions in 1972-73 after finishing the regular season in 8th place. In the playoffs they beat Featherstone away, Warrington away, and then Leeds in the...
. Jenkins was capped at international level for his country as a union and league player.
Playing career
Jenkins first played rugby as a school boy, representing Bryndu School in Kenfig Hill. A keen sportsman as a youth, he also enjoyed association football and had trials with Swansea AFCSwansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
. After leaving school he joined local club Kenfig Hill, but by the time he was selected to represent Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
in 1926, he had switched to Rhondda
Rhondda
Rhondda , or the Rhondda Valley , is a former coal mining valley in Wales, formerly a local government district, consisting of 16 communities built around the River Rhondda. The valley is made up of two valleys, the larger Rhondda Fawr valley and the smaller Rhondda Fach valley...
team, Treorchy. His first international appearance was in the opening Wales game of the 1926 Five Nations Championship
1926 Five Nations Championship
The 1926 Five Nations Championship was the twelfth series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship following the inclusion of France into the Home Nations Championship. Including the previous Home Nations Championships, this was the thirty-ninth series of the annual northern hemisphere rugby...
; played against England at the Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park , also known as The Arms Park, is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green, and is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. The Arms Park was host to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958, and hosted four games in the 1991 Rugby World...
. The game ended in a 3-3 draw, but Jenkins had done enough to secure his place with the Welsh selectors, and was chosen for the three remaining games of the Championship; a loss away to Scotland, followed by wins over Ireland and France. It is unknown if Jenkins would have been selected for any further rugby union internationals as in August 1926 he switched codes, becoming a professional rugby league player with Hunslet.
Dai Jenkins won three caps for Wales
Wales national rugby league team
The Wales national rugby league team represent Wales in international rugby league football matches. Currently the team is seventh in the RLIF World Rankings. The team were run under the auspices of the Rugby Football League, but an independent body, Wales Rugby League, now runs the team from...
while at Hunslet, his first on 26 April 1927 in an encounter with England at Broughton. This was followed by another two caps in 1928 and 1931, both games against England. The 1928 match, played at Cardiff, saw Jenkins score a try, the only international points of his career. In 1931 he switched from Hunslet to Leeds, and in 1932 won his final cap for Wales, in his fourth encounter with England, and all resulting in loses for Wales. In 1934 he moved clubs again, switching from Leeds to Dewsbury.