New giant Welsh teen turns heads on English Premiership debut that 'oozed class and physicality'

It’s fair to say Welsh rugby has had better weekends, what with the Wales senior team crashing to a 29-7 defeat in Dublin and the U20s wiped out 53-5 in Cork.

Maybe those on the Welsh Rugby Union who were out in the Irish capital could have spent time on Misery Hill, one of the city’s most memorably named streets. It would have suited the mood of the times for the game in Wales.

But the despair wasn’t total.

One young Welshman offered a dot of hope for the future by shining on his first full game in the Gallagher Premiership.

Dafydd Jenkins is only 19 and had never started a match in English rugby’s top division before, but the 6ft 7in, 17st 11lb second row banged in a hugely promising performance for Exeter Chiefs in their game with Wasps at Sandy Park.

The son of former Wales A international Hywel Jenkins made 17 tackles and carried the ball eight times for 20 metres. Opposing him was the 69-cap England player Joe Launchbury, but Jenkins junior was in no way fazed, showing maturity beyond his years.

Exeter could have sealed victory had centre Tom Hendrickson held onto the ball in the act of touching down late on, with Wasps making the hosts pay via Paolo Odogwu’s stoppage-time try as they eked out a 27-26 win.

Afterwards, Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter said: “It feels tough, but you have to be hugely proud of some of the guys.

“Daf Jenkins stepping in and doing 80 minutes like he did was fantastic.

“Potentially, he wins us the game with his last pass to Tom Hendrickson, but it hasn’t quite come off for him.”

Porthcawl Comprehensive School product Jenkins hit the radar for Wales U20s last summer with a series of eye-catching displays. Playing at lock, he did the basics at the scrum and lineout but also showed up well in the loose, winning turnovers and posting consistently high tackle counts. He is in the Wales U20s Six Nations squad this year, too.

He is still developing — he played his first 80-minute game of rugby last June — but the youngster who featured in the Ospreys academy before heading for the west of England has talent.

On social media after the game with Wasps, Jack Lewis – a Welshman who is part of the Chiefs’ media and marketing team – enthused: “In Dafydd Jenkins, Wales have a second row to keep an eye on …oozed class and physicality today.”

One performance means only so much, of course.

But the signs are positive around Jenkins.

And, right now, Welsh rugby needs to cling on to any pluses out there.

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