Gareth Jenkins
Encyclopedia
Gareth Jenkins is a former Welsh
rugby union
footballer, and former head coach of the Welsh national team
. After a long and distinguished career at Llanelli RFC
, Jenkins was appointed Wales
coach in 2006, succeeding Mike Ruddock
. He was sacked by the Welsh Rugby Union on September 30, 2007, following Wales' failure to qualify for the quarter-finals of the 2007 Rugby World Cup. He left the role with just six wins from twenty test matches.
, Jenkins played as a flanker for Llanelli RFC
, Wales B side and the Barbarians
. Jenkins also toured Japan with the Welsh national team in 1975, but was not capped. Jenkins coached both Llanelli RFC and the Llanelli Scarlets
region from its inception until 2006 when he accepted the position as the coach for the Welsh national team.
Jenkins made 259 appearances for Llanelli RFC since his debut as a 17 year old, before his career was cut short by injury at the age of 26. He was a member of the Llanelli team that famously beat New Zealand 9–3 at Stradey Park in 1973.
won the 2003 Celtic League Championship under his guidance. It was during this time he also lead Llanelli to Heineken Cup
semi-final places in 2000 and 2002. However his team consistently fell just short in big games, notably in the Heineken Cup
. He was also assistant coach of Wales during the 1993/94 season.
in 2004, when he was seen as virtually the only serious candidate for the job. It was suggested that his insistence on bringing in his own backroom staff, who lacked the requisite experience and skill, cost him the job. Instead, the Welsh Rugby Union
invited Mike Ruddock
to apply for the post, even though he had not originally made himself available for the role. Ruddock subsequently coached the Welsh team to their first Grand Slam
in 28 years.
Jenkins toured New Zealand
with the British and Irish Lions
as part of Clive Woodward
's coaching team in 2005. In April 2006 Jenkins was named as the new Welsh national coach, under a two year contract to succeed Mike Ruddock, who had resigned during the 2006 Six Nations Championship. His first duty was a development tour of Argentina
, a young and inexperienced Wales side losing the series 2–0. His first home test match saw a credible 29–29 draw with Australia, but lacklustre performances against the Pacific Islanders, Canada and the All Blacks
saw confidence dip and in the 2007 Six Nations Championship
Wales slipped to 4 defeats including a 23–20 reversal against Italy. Jenkins finally got a victory over England on the final day of the championship by 27–18, denying England the championship, whilst simultaneously avoiding the dreaded wooden spoon
; which went to Scotland.
A test match series in Australia followed, which was lost 2–0 and following a record 62–5 defeat by England at Twickenham, Jenkins came under increasing pressure from the Welsh media, but insisted his position and that of his under fire coaching be judged on performances at the 2007 Rugby World Cup
in France
. Wales failed to qualify for the quarter finals of the World Cup, losing to second-tier nation Fiji 34–38. Jenkins tenure as Welsh coach came to an end the following day on 30 September 2007, informed of the Welsh Rugby Union's decision by chief executive Roger Lewis and chairman David Pickering at the team's hotel.
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...
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...
footballer, and former head coach of the Welsh national team
Wales 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...
. After a long and distinguished career at Llanelli RFC
Llanelli RFC
Llanelli Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club founded in 1875 and its senior team is one of the leading club sides in Wales. The club began the 2008-09 season at their historic home ground of Stradey Park in Llanelli, but moved in November 2008 to the new Parc y Scarlets in adjacent...
, Jenkins was appointed Wales
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...
coach in 2006, succeeding Mike Ruddock
Mike Ruddock
Mike Ruddock, OBE is a Welsh rugby union coach, currently coach of the Ireland Under-20 Rugby Union Team and Lansdowne FC . Ruddock was the coach of the Worcester Warriors until his resignation on 28 April 2010 following their relegation from the Guinness Premiership...
. He was sacked by the Welsh Rugby Union on September 30, 2007, following Wales' failure to qualify for the quarter-finals of the 2007 Rugby World Cup. He left the role with just six wins from twenty test matches.
Playing career
Born in Burry PortBurry Port
Burry Port is a small town five miles outside the larger centre of Llanelli in Carmarthenshire, Wales, lying on the Loughor estuary. The town's population is roughly 8,000 although in the 2001 census there were 4209 residents....
, Jenkins played as a flanker for Llanelli RFC
Llanelli RFC
Llanelli Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club founded in 1875 and its senior team is one of the leading club sides in Wales. The club began the 2008-09 season at their historic home ground of Stradey Park in Llanelli, but moved in November 2008 to the new Parc y Scarlets in adjacent...
, Wales B side and the Barbarians
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
. Jenkins also toured Japan with the Welsh national team in 1975, but was not capped. Jenkins coached both Llanelli RFC and the Llanelli Scarlets
Llanelli Scarlets
The Scarlets are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Llanelli, south-west Wales the team play at the Parc y Scarlets stadium. They play in the RaboDirect Pro12, as well as competing in the LV= Cup and the Heineken Cup...
region from its inception until 2006 when he accepted the position as the coach for the Welsh national team.
Jenkins made 259 appearances for Llanelli RFC since his debut as a 17 year old, before his career was cut short by injury at the age of 26. He was a member of the Llanelli team that famously beat New Zealand 9–3 at Stradey Park in 1973.
Llanelli
During his 24 year stint as coach of Llanelli RFC, he won thirteen Welsh Cup victories, a 1992–93 League and cup double (a first for a Welsh club) plus a win over the World Champion Australians in the same year. In 1998–99 and 2001–02 Llanelli won league titles and the newly formed regional side Llanelli ScarletsLlanelli Scarlets
The Scarlets are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Llanelli, south-west Wales the team play at the Parc y Scarlets stadium. They play in the RaboDirect Pro12, as well as competing in the LV= Cup and the Heineken Cup...
won the 2003 Celtic League Championship under his guidance. It was during this time he also lead Llanelli to Heineken Cup
Heineken Cup
The Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
semi-final places in 2000 and 2002. However his team consistently fell just short in big games, notably in the Heineken Cup
Heineken Cup
The Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
. He was also assistant coach of Wales during the 1993/94 season.
Wales national team
Jenkins was rejected when he applied for the job of coach to the Welsh national teamWales 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...
in 2004, when he was seen as virtually the only serious candidate for the job. It was suggested that his insistence on bringing in his own backroom staff, who lacked the requisite experience and skill, cost him the job. Instead, the Welsh Rugby Union
Welsh Rugby Union
The Welsh Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Wales, recognised by the International Rugby Board.The union's patron is Queen Elizabeth II, and her grandson Prince William of Wales became the Vice Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union as of February 2007.-History:The roots of the...
invited Mike Ruddock
Mike Ruddock
Mike Ruddock, OBE is a Welsh rugby union coach, currently coach of the Ireland Under-20 Rugby Union Team and Lansdowne FC . Ruddock was the coach of the Worcester Warriors until his resignation on 28 April 2010 following their relegation from the Guinness Premiership...
to apply for the post, even though he had not originally made himself available for the role. Ruddock subsequently coached the Welsh team to their first 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...
in 28 years.
Jenkins toured New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
with 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...
as part of Clive Woodward
Clive Woodward
Sir Clive Ronald Woodward OBE is an English former rugby union player and coach. He was coach of the team from 1997 to 2004, managing them to victory in the 2003 Rugby World Cup. He is currently the British Olympic Association's Director of Elite Performance.-Early life:Woodward was born in Ely...
's coaching team in 2005. In April 2006 Jenkins was named as the new Welsh national coach, under a two year contract to succeed Mike Ruddock, who had resigned during the 2006 Six Nations Championship. His first duty was a development tour of Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, a young and inexperienced Wales side losing the series 2–0. His first home test match saw a credible 29–29 draw with Australia, but lacklustre performances against the Pacific Islanders, Canada and the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
saw confidence dip and in the 2007 Six Nations Championship
2007 Six Nations Championship
The 2007 RBS 6 Nations Championship was the eighth series of the rugby union Six Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Home Nations and Five Nations, this was the 113th series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship...
Wales slipped to 4 defeats including a 23–20 reversal against Italy. Jenkins finally got a victory over England on the final day of the championship by 27–18, denying England the championship, whilst simultaneously avoiding the dreaded wooden spoon
Wooden spoon (award)
A wooden spoon is a mock or real award, usually given to an individual or team which has come last in a competition, but sometimes also to runners-up. Examples range from the academic to sporting and more frivolous events...
; which went to Scotland.
A test match series in Australia followed, which was lost 2–0 and following a record 62–5 defeat by England at Twickenham, Jenkins came under increasing pressure from the Welsh media, but insisted his position and that of his under fire coaching be judged on performances at the 2007 Rugby World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Wales failed to qualify for the quarter finals of the World Cup, losing to second-tier nation Fiji 34–38. Jenkins tenure as Welsh coach came to an end the following day on 30 September 2007, informed of the Welsh Rugby Union's decision by chief executive Roger Lewis and chairman David Pickering at the team's hotel.