1
Wales star 'very motivated' to play team he suffered brutal injury against in 2018
Wales boss Wayne Pivac has hailed Ellis Jenkins’ recovery and resilience ahead of the Cardiff flanker’s return to international rugby.
ADVERTISEMENT
Jenkins will line up against world champions South Africa on Saturday – three years after his last Test match appearance when he helped Wales beat the Springboks in Cardiff.
On that occasion, Jenkins had already delivered a man-of-the-match performance, but he suffered a major knee injury during the closing minutes and was subsequently sidelined from all rugby for 26 months, with the 2019 World Cup among goals that cruelly vanished from his radar.
The 28-year-old is now poised to win his 12th cap – 1,078 days after the 11th – packing down in the back-row alongside Dragons pair Taine Basham and Aaron Wainwright.
“I remember the injury,” Pivac said. “I’ve had a similar injury myself and know what it is like – it’s not pleasant and a long, hard slog.
“Just to see those injuries, you have to look away at times because they are not nice and you know from personal experience what they have to go through.
“Until you have one of those, you don’t quite realise. It’s very tough.
“For Ellis to come back now and actually be playing against the same opponent, for him it’s going to be a very special day.
ADVERTISEMENT
“He is a very motivated young man, clearly, to come out the other end of what he has had to go through, and he has had a few setbacks along the way.
“He is a very intelligent rugby player, knows what he wants to get out of the game and what he can offer the game, too.
“He was smart enough not to come back until he felt he could contribute at the top level of the game. He has probably got two years of watching and frustration, and he will just be excited to get out there.”
While Jenkins is back in the fold, Pivac is without a raft of top players against the Springboks, including British and Irish Lions Alun Wyn Jones, Ken Owens, George North, Justin Tipuric, Taulupe Faletau, Ross Moriarty and Josh Navidi.
ADVERTISEMENT
But at least recent history favours the reigning Six Nations champions against South Africa, with Wales unbeaten against them in Cardiff since 2013, winning four successive games.
Pivac added: “If we’ve got 15-16 players missing, it’s about who we can build into the programme, learn about and build depth. Development and trying to get results are really important.
“The development side of it grows, in terms of what we can gain from this autumn series. Obviously, every time we take the field we know we are representing our country and a win is what we are after.
“Nothing changes in that respect – it’s a results-driven game – but you have got to play the hand you are dealt sometimes.
“And at the moment this is about some development opportunities for some players, and other more experienced players to hold on to their positions and push on to a World Cup.
“There is motivation for everyone in the squad, there is no doubt about that, and we will be doing our utmost to get the right result.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Beautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to comments