Dafydd Jenkins makes brutal admission about his 'career' to date

Dafydd Jenkins admits that it sometimes feels like he is living in a dream after captaining Exeter Chiefs and Wales, but says that he is driven on by his desire to win trophies.

Jenkins, 23, is Wales’ second youngest Test captain and the youngest in Gallagher PREM history after leading Exeter when he was just 19 years, 342 days old.

The 6 ft 7 in lock has had to overcome operations for a knee issue and a sore shoulder rotator cuff, and has also had another operation on a back problem, but knows what he wants from the game.

“There are points where you feel like you’re living in a dream, but then you also think that you’ve put in all this hard work for a particular reason, and it’s to be in this situation.

“I probably look at my career now and think that I haven’t won anything tangible really, so that’s the aim for me, and I wouldn’t say appearances or being content with being in a team is where I want to be.

Fixture

Challenge Cup

Ulster

29 - 12

Full-time

Exeter Chiefs

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“I want to be winning, winning things with this team, Exeter and Wales. This group (Exeter) have been through some tough times, so also for this group, it would be awesome,” he said.

Jenkins believes that last season’s 52-24 loss to Ulster at the Affidea Stadium, which effectively knocked them out of the Champions Cup, will stand them in good stead when they return to Belfast on Saturday.

“Obviously, we are a different team than we were last season. The boys got experience from going there, knowing the scenario and knowing the pitch.

“But in terms of how we’ve developed from last season to this season, I think it’s chalk and cheese. We know it’s a really tough place to go, and we’ve got huge respect for them as an opposition.

“It should be a class game, and these are those games that get you excited as a player, and if you don’t want to be playing in big games like this, then you are probably in the wrong sport,” he added.