Gethin Jenkins facts for kids
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| Birth name | Gethin Jenkins | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 17 November 1980 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Llanilltud Faerdref, Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 121 kg (267 lb; 19 st 1 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Bryn Celynnog Comprehensive School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Rugby league career
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Playing information
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Gethin Jenkins (born November 17, 1980) is a famous Welsh former professional rugby union player. He played as a 'prop', which is a strong forward position, for several top teams. These included Pontypridd, Celtic Warriors, Cardiff Blues, and Toulon.
Gethin is a true rugby legend, especially in Wales. He played an amazing 129 games for the Welsh national team. For a time, he held the record as Wales' most-capped player, meaning he had played the most games. He also helped Wales win three incredible 'Grand Slams'. A Grand Slam means winning every single game in the Six Nations Championship. On top of that, he played five times for the elite British & Irish Lions team. He joined them on three different tours in 2005, 2009, and 2013. He is one of the most-capped rugby players in history.
Gethin retired from playing rugby in November 2018. This was because of a long-term knee injury. After he stopped playing, he started coaching. He worked with the Cardiff Blues and later joined the Welsh national team as a defence coach.
Contents
Early Rugby Days
Gethin Jenkins started playing rugby when he was 13 years old. He went to Llwyncrwn Primary School and Bryn Celynnog Comprehensive School in Beddau. His first rugby club was Beddau RFC, which is based near Pontypridd.
Club Career Highlights
Gethin played his youth rugby at Pontypridd. He even captained his team to win a Welsh Cup title in 1998. He became a regular player for the first team. He was a key part of the successful Pontypridd team from 2000 to 2003. This team won the Principality Cup and almost won the Parker Pen Shield. Many of the forwards Gethin played with at Pontypridd later became important players for the Welsh national team.
After Welsh rugby changed to a regional system, Gethin joined the Celtic Warriors. When that team stopped playing after just one season, Gethin signed with the Cardiff Blues.
Success with Cardiff Blues and Toulon
At the Cardiff Blues, Gethin helped his team win the Amlin Challenge Cup. They also reached the semi-finals of the Heineken Cup, a very important European competition. After playing well in the 2011 Rugby World Cup, many big clubs wanted him. Gethin decided to join the French team Toulon for the 2012-13 season.
While playing for Toulon, Gethin became the ninth Welsh player to win the Heineken Cup. He came on as a replacement in the final game against Clermont Auvergne. This win made Gethin only the second Welsh player to win both major European rugby cups. He won the Amlin Challenge Cup with Cardiff Blues in 2010 and the Heineken Cup with Toulon in 2013.
He returned to play for the Cardiff Blues in 2013 and continued until his retirement in 2018.
International Career
Playing for Wales
Gethin Jenkins first played for Wales in 2002 against Romania. In the 2005 Six Nations Championship, he was a huge influence. He helped Wales win their first Grand Slam in 27 years! He even scored a memorable try against Ireland in that championship.
In November 2007, Gethin was asked to captain Wales for a game against South Africa. He also captained Wales against Australia in 2009. In 2013, he led Wales in their final Six Nations game against England. Wales won that game 30-3 and won the Championship!
On November 30, 2013, Gethin played against Australia. This game made him the most-capped forward for Wales. He passed the record of 100 caps held by his former teammate Martyn Williams. Then, on March 15, 2014, he played against Scotland. This game made him the most-capped player for Wales overall, passing Stephen Jones' record of 104 caps.
On August 29, 2015, Gethin played against Ireland. This made him the world's most-capped prop forward ever! He passed the record of 119 caps held by Jason Leonard. Gethin also captained Wales during the 2016 Autumn internationals.
International Tries
Gethin Jenkins scored four tries for Wales during his international career.
| Try | Opponent | Location | Venue | Competition | Date | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Romania |
Cardiff, Wales | Millennium Stadium | 2004 Autumn Internationals | 12 November 2004 | Win |
| 2 |  Japan |
Cardiff, Wales | Millennium Stadium | 2004 Autumn Internationals | 26 November 2004 | Win |
| 3 |  Ireland |
Cardiff, Wales | Millennium Stadium | 2005 Six Nations | 19 March 2005 | Win |
| 4 |  Namibia |
New Plymouth, New Zealand | Yarrow Stadium | 2011 Rugby World Cup | 26 September 2011 | Win |
Playing for the British & Irish Lions
Gethin was chosen to play for the British & Irish Lions team in 2005. This was for their tour to New Zealand. He played in all three of the important 'test' matches on that tour.
In 2009, Gethin was again named a member of the British & Irish Lions. This time, it was for their tour to South Africa. In June 2009, Gethin, along with Adam Jones and Matthew Rees, made history. They were chosen as the all-Welsh 'front row' for a Lions test match. This was the first time this had happened since 1955!
Gethin was selected for the British & Irish Lions for a third time in 2013. This tour was to Australia. However, he had to withdraw from the tour because of an injury.
Coaching Career
After retiring from playing, Gethin Jenkins started his coaching journey. He first worked as a defence coach for Cardiff RFC. He did this while he was still playing for the Cardiff Blues.
In 2020, he helped coach the Wales Under-20 team, focusing on defence. Later that year, he joined the senior Welsh national team as a technical coach. Before the 2021 Six Nations Championship, his role became permanent. He is now the full-time defence coach for the Welsh national rugby team.
Playing Style and Nickname
Gethin Jenkins usually played as a 'loosehead prop'. This is a specific position in the front row of a rugby scrum. He was known as a "new-breed" of front-row player. This meant he was fast and very fit. He was also good at winning the ball back from the other team.
Even though he looked serious on the field, Gethin was a very respected and liked player. Many people called him "Melon".
Rugby League
Before focusing on rugby union, Gethin Jenkins also played rugby league. He regularly played for the Cardiff Demons in the late 1990s. He even helped them reach the 1998 Division Two Academy Grand Final.
Images for kids
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Gethin Jenkins in action.
See also
In Spanish: Gethin Jenkins para niños
