Neil Jenkins
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Neil Jenkins (born 8 July 1971) is a former rugby union footballer who played fly-half, centre, or full back for Pontypridd and Cardiff, Wales and the British and Irish Lions.
Jenkins was born in Church Village, Wales. He attended Bryn Celynnog Comprehensive school in Beddau, South Wales. He made his Wales debut aged 19 along with Scott Gibbs. Jenkins strength was his kicking, and many felt that he was not worthy enough to inherit the Welsh number 10 shirt of Barry John, Phil Bennett and Cliff Morgan. However, after tremendous criticism early in his career, Jenkins developed his tackling, passing and running skills and became an adequate runner of the ball and a very good passer of the ball. Kicking always remained his major strength - in the 2003/4 season, he was successful with 44 consecutive kicks at goal for his club side, the Celtic Warriors, which is a world record, as of 2006.
Jenkins went on the 1997 British Lions tour to South Africa, playing full back in all three tests. His extremely accurate goalkicking enabled the Lions to stay in touch with the Springboks during the first two tests, allowing them to win both of them, and thus the series 2-1.
Jenkins also went on the 2001 British and Irish Lions tour to Australia, but was carrying an injury, English fly-half Jonny Wilkinson being the preferred fly-half and goalkicker. Jenkins did gain his fourth Lions cap as a late replacement in the second test.
During his 87 caps he scored 1049 points, the first player to score over 1,000 points in International Rugby, in an often struggling Welsh side. At the time of writing, early 2006, this is the current world record.
Jenkins was left out of Wales' 2003 World Cup squad and subsequently announced his retirement from international rugby.
Despite the early public criticism, Jenkins has established himself as a recognisable figure of Welsh rugby, and many Welsh rugby fans hold him in extremely high regard, not only because of his rugby achievements, but also because he has remained true to his roots, and is widely known to be approachable and genuine, characteristics which often elude other leading Welsh rugby players.
He remains, statistically, the most accomplished goalkicker in rugby union.
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Forwards: | Back • Clohessy • Dallaglio • Davidson • Hill • Johnson(c) • Leonard • Miller • Quinnell • Regan • Rodber • Rowntree • Shaw • Smith • Wainwright • Weir • Williams • Wood • Young | |
| Backs: | Bateman • Beal • Bentley • Dawson • Evans • Healey • Howley • Jenkins • Gibbs • Greenwood • Guscott • Grayson • Stimpson • Tait • Townsend • Underwood | ||
| Coach: | McGeechan & Telfer |
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Forwards: | Back • Bulloch • Charvis • Corry • Dallaglio • Davidson • Greening • Grewcock • Hill • Johnson (c) • Leonard • McBryde • Morris • Murray • O'Kelly • Quinnell • Smith • Taylor • Wallace • West • Williams • Wood • Vickery • Young | |
| Backs: | Balshaw • Catt • Cohen • Dawson • Gibbs • Greenwood • Healey • Henderson • Howe • Howley • James • Jenkins • Luger • Nicol • O'Driscoll • O'Gara • Perry • Robinson • Taylor • Wilkinson | ||
| Coach: | Henry |
