A chronic knee injury has finally forced the 37-year-old Jenkins to hang up his boots, but the two-time British & Irish Lions tourist and Wales record cap holder aims to bow out in style with one final hurrah against the Italians on his home patch this weekend.
Jenkins has been restricted to two appearances for Cardiff Blues A in the Celtic Cup this season and has decided that his right knee is not healthy enough to continue playing on a sustained basis. The last of his 129 caps for Wales came in the 2016 November Series when he led the side to a 27-13 win over South Africa.
“I have been working hard rehabbing over the last three months and I was confident I was going to be back playing so it’s disappointing to be retiring after Sunday’s game against Zebre,” said Jenkins.
“It’s obviously a big decision, but I’ve had a good innings. It’s time to finish and I’m looking forward to one more run out on the weekend and hopefully finishing on a high.
“The pain I’ve been experiencing from rugby simply isn’t tolerable, but it’s important to me that after all the work I’ve put in I run out one last time with my team and finish on my own terms.
“The biggest thing I will miss is the camaraderie with the boys, the buzz of running out and playing and the feeling in the changing rooms after a win. I’m very proud of everything I have achieved in my career, particularly captaining the Blues in the previous three seasons.
“None of it would have been possible without my parents and the 2005 Grand Slam always stands out as both my Mum and Dad were there supporting me.
“I’m hanging up my boots with the club in a strong position and while missing last season’s European Challenge Cup final was devastating, I was immensely proud of the culture, environment and legacy we have built.”
Jenkins made his senior Wales debut against Romania in Wrexham in 2002 and went on to captain his country nine times. He scored a memorable charge down try against Ireland in Wales’ first Grand Slam for 27 years at the Millennium Stadium in 2005 and was also part of the teams that added further Slams in 2008 and 2012 and a fourth title in 2013.
That made him one of only three players to play in all three Grand Slam sides this century, joining Ryan Jones and Adam Jones, and allowed him to join an exclusive club of only a dozen players who have completed the hat-trick.
In the seventies, Gareth Edwards, JPR Williams and Gerald Davies were in the sides that triumphed in 1971, 1976 and 1978, while in the first Golden Era of Welsh rugby there six players who featured in the 1908, 1909 and 1911 clean sweeps, Johnnie Williams, Billy Trew, Dickie Owen, George Travers, Jim Webb and Tom Evans.
| Team | Played | Starts | Reps | Won | Draw | Lost | Pts | % |
| Wales | 129 | 93 | 36 | 61 | 3 | 65 | 20 (4T) | 48.44 |
| Lions | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Overall | 134 | 98 | 36 | 61 | 3 | 70 | 20 (4T) | 46.64 |
| 6N (03-16) | 56 | 38 | 18 | 34 | 2 | 20 | 5 (1T) | 62.50 |
| RWC (03-15) | 18 | 13 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 7 | 5 (1T) | 61.11 |
Selected for three British & Irish Lions tours, Jenkins was first choice selection in the front row against the All Blacks in 2005 and the Springboks in 2009. He left for Australia with the 2013 squad, but returned home throughout injury without playing a game.
He took over from Stephen Jones (104) as Wales’ most capped player in 2014 and ends as the fourth most capped player of all-time in the world game behind Richie McCaw (148), Brian O’Driscoll (141) and George Gregan (139).
During his career he made 16 appearances against England, 15 against Australia and 14 each against South Africa, New Zealand, France and Ireland for Wales and the Lions. He won the EDF Energy Cup and European Challenge Cup with Cardiff Blues and the Heineken Champions Cup with Toulon.
He captained the Blues between 2014-17 and this weekend’s game will be his 195th for the region, putting him second on the all-time list behind fellow front row veteran Tau Filise. He will now take up a coaching role within the Cardiff Blues academy.
