Gethin Jenkins
Encyclopedia
Gethin Jenkins is a Wales
and British Lions international rugby union
player, currently playing for Cardiff Blues
. He is the most capped prop-forward for Wales.
Comprehensive school in Beddau
, Jenkins first played rugby union aged 13 at Beddau RFC based in Pontypridd
, starting out as a flanker
but was pushed forward into the front row at age 15.
, then for Celtic Warriors
before signing for Cardiff Blues
.
against Romania in 2002. In the 2005 Six Nations Championship
he was rated one of the greatest influences in Wales' Grand Slam
winning side, scoring a memorable try against Ireland
.
In November 2007 he was asked to captain his country against South Africa
by Welsh temporary coach Nigel Davies. His reign as captain would last just one game as in December Wales hired Warren Gatland
as coach who gave the captaincy to Ryan Jones
. However Jenkins kept his place in the squad solidifying himself as number one choice for the #1 jersey.
Jenkins is set to captain Wales against Australia on 28 November 2009 following the withdrawal of regular captain Ryan Jones
from the squad due to injury.
tour to New Zealand
in 2005 and played in all three tests.
On 21 April 2009, Jenkins was named as a member of the British and Irish Lions for the 2009 tour to South Africa.
In June 2009 Jenkins, Adam Jones
and Matthew Rees
were selected as the British and Irish Lions
front row for the second Test against South Africa. This was the first time an all-Welsh front row was selected for a Lions test match since Billy Williams
, Bryn Meredith
and Courtney Meredith
on the 1955 Lions tour.
, making regular appearances for Cardiff Demons
in the late 1990s leading them to the 1998 Division Two Academy Grand Final.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and British Lions 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...
player, currently playing for Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, the team have played at Cardiff City Stadium since the start of the 2009/2010 season and are owned by Cardiff Rugby Football Club....
. He is the most capped prop-forward for Wales.
Early career
Educated at Bryn CelynnogBryn Celynnog
Bryn Celynnog Comprehensive is a state run school located in Beddau, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales.-Alumni:Its alumni include many rugby stars who have gone on to be highly successful, such as rugby players Neil Jenkins MBE, Michael Owen, and Gethin Jenkins, who have all represented the British and...
Comprehensive school in Beddau
Beddau
Beddau is a large village around 1.5 miles from Llantrisant and 4 miles from the larger town of Pontypridd in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales.-Education:Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Castellau is the village's Welsh speaking primary school...
, Jenkins first played rugby union aged 13 at Beddau RFC based in Pontypridd
Pontypridd
Pontypridd is both a community and a principal town of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales and is situated 12 miles/19 km north of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff...
, starting out as a flanker
Flanker (rugby union)
A flanker is a position in the sport of rugby union. Flankers play in the forwards, and are generally classified as either blindside, or openside flankers; numbers six and seven respectively. The name comes from their position in a scrum in which they flank each set of forwards...
but was pushed forward into the front row at age 15.
Club career
Jenkins later played for PontypriddPontypridd RFC
Pontypridd Rugby Football Club, known as Ponty, are a rugby union team from Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, currently playing in the British and Irish Cup, Principality Premiership, and are the current SWALEC Cup champions....
, then for Celtic Warriors
Celtic Warriors
The Celtic Warriors were a regional rugby union team from Wales, who played in the Celtic League and Heineken Cup between 2003 and 2004.-History:The Warriors were one of the five original regions of the Welsh Regional Rugby Era...
before signing for Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, the team have played at Cardiff City Stadium since the start of the 2009/2010 season and are owned by Cardiff Rugby Football Club....
.
Wales
Jenkins made his first appearance for WalesWales 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...
against Romania in 2002. In the 2005 Six Nations Championship
2005 Six Nations Championship
The 2005 RBS 6 Nations Championship was the sixth series of the Six Nations Championship to be held since the competition expanded in 2000 to include Italy...
he was rated one of the greatest influences in Wales' Grand Slam
Grand Slam (Rugby Union)
In rugby union, a Grand Slam occurs when one team in the Six Nations Championship manages to beat all the others during one year's competition...
winning side, scoring a memorable try against Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
.
In November 2007 he was asked to captain his country against South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
by Welsh temporary coach Nigel Davies. His reign as captain would last just one game as in December Wales hired Warren Gatland
Warren Gatland
Warren David Gatland is a former New Zealand rugby footballer and the current head coach of the Wales national team.Gatland was born in Hamilton, New Zealand and educated at Hamilton Boys' High School and Waikato University...
as coach who gave the captaincy to Ryan Jones
Ryan Jones
Ryan Paul Jones is a Welsh international rugby union player who plays at number eight for the Ospreys. He is able to cover blindside flanker and second row; he played second row in his younger days as he was kept out of his preferred number 8 role by Gareth Delve.-Early life:Jones played junior...
. However Jenkins kept his place in the squad solidifying himself as number one choice for the #1 jersey.
Jenkins is set to captain Wales against Australia on 28 November 2009 following the withdrawal of regular captain Ryan Jones
Ryan Jones
Ryan Paul Jones is a Welsh international rugby union player who plays at number eight for the Ospreys. He is able to cover blindside flanker and second row; he played second row in his younger days as he was kept out of his preferred number 8 role by Gareth Delve.-Early life:Jones played junior...
from the squad due to injury.
British and Irish Lions
He was selected for the British and Irish LionsBritish and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
tour to New Zealand
2005 British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand
In 2005 the British and Irish Lions rugby union team toured New Zealand for the first time since 1993, playing 7 tour matches against first and second division clubs from the National Provincial Championship series, 1 tour match against the national New Zealand all Māori club, and 3 official test...
in 2005 and played in all three tests.
On 21 April 2009, Jenkins was named as a member of the British and Irish Lions for the 2009 tour to South Africa.
In June 2009 Jenkins, Adam Jones
Adam Rhys Jones
Adam Rhys Jones is a Welsh international rugby union player, currently playing for the Ospreys in the RaboDirect Pro12. His usual position is at tighthead prop...
and Matthew Rees
Matthew Rees
Matthew Rees is a Wales and British Lions international rugby union footballer who currently plays for the Scarlets in the Celtic League. His usual position is at hooker...
were selected as the British and Irish Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
front row for the second Test against South Africa. This was the first time an all-Welsh front row was selected for a Lions test match since Billy Williams
Billy Williams (rugby player)
William Owen Gooding 'Billy' Williams was a Welsh international rugby union player. A prop forward, he played club rugby for Gowerton, Swansea and the Royal Navy...
, Bryn Meredith
Bryn Meredith
Brinley "Bryn" Victor Meredith was a rugby union international. Meredith was a mobile hooker, he was selected 34 times for Wales between 1954 and 1962, but missed 2 matches for health and family bereavement reasons....
and Courtney Meredith
Courtney Meredith
Courtney Meredith was a Welsh international rugby union prop who played club rugby for Neath. He won fourteen caps for Wales and also played for invitational club the Barbarians. Meredith was a powerful prop, and was much praised by second row players for his tight packing, which allowed them the...
on the 1955 Lions tour.
Style
Despite weighing 18 st 10 lbs, he is surprisingly fast. He is able to play both loosehead and tighthead prop, which often means that he has been seen as a versatile substitute.Rugby league
Jenkins has also played rugby leagueRugby 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...
, making regular appearances for Cardiff Demons
Cardiff Demons
Cardiff Demons RLFC are a rugby league side who play out of St. Albans RFC in the east of Cardiff, Wales. They play in the Welsh Premier of the Rugby League Conference.-History:...
in the late 1990s leading them to the 1998 Division Two Academy Grand Final.