Gethin relishing role as impact option off the bench for Wales
GETHIN JENKINS says his new role as an impact sub for Wales has given him a fresh lease of life and he is eager to go on this summer’s tour of New Zealand.
Having been first-choice loosehead prop for the best part of decade, the 123-cap Lions star found himself consigned to the bench for the Six Nations, with Rob Evans starting ahead of him.
But rather than seeing it as a negative, Jenkins feels it has actually benefited him.
“The Six Nations gave me a bit of a new lease of life,” he explained.
“Coming off the bench was a different experience for me.
“I played quite a bit, but I’ve looked after the body a little bit more. I’ve got next season now with the Blues, so I’m looking to look forward to that and hopefully carrying on at international level.”
Which brings us on to June’s tour of New Zealand, which will feature three Tests against the world champion All Blacks.
“If picked, that would be my last Wales tour, so I would definitely look forward to going out there,” said the 35-year-old.
“It’s a tough place to go. I’ve been there two or three times. But that’s what you want as a player, to be challenged at the top level by the top team over the last eight years.
“So if selected I’m looking forward to it. I am still enjoying it. The body is holding on.”
Jenkins will have a golden opportunity to show the Wales selectors there is plenty of life left in the old dog yet when he takes the field along with a posse of other tour hopefuls at Judgement Day this Saturday.
His Cardiff Blues will take on the Ospreys in the first of the doubleheader derbies at a packed Principality Stadium.
“Every time you come up against one of the other regions, it’s a chance to impress,” said the Blues skipper.
“Sometimes it’s more of a team thing than an individual thing. But I suppose if it goes well as a team, then individuals will shine.
“And there’s no better place to impress than on that stadium at the weekend.
“Players want to play in the best atmosphere. Toulon is the best club atmosphere I’ve ever experienced and for this at the weekend, with the amount of tickets that have been sold, it’s great for the players and great for the fans and that’s what the players want to play in front of.”
It’s a match that also has huge significance for the Blues as they look to continue their late surge for Champions Cup qualification and set the record straight after more than five years without a league win against the Ospreys.
“It’s been a while since we beat them,” acknowledged Jenkins.
“It’s something we need to try and reverse. They are a great team, they’ve done well for the last five or six years and they are always our biggest competitors in Wales I suppose. We know it’s one of the biggest games for us.”
Victory over the Ospreys and then away to Euro rivals Edinburgh on the final weekend of the regular Pro12 season could be enough to take the Blues through to the Champions Cup, depending on results elsewhere.
“At one stage I suppose we were just looking to finish above the Dragons, but things have moved on