Jenkins excited to get back in action

BY his own admission, it’s been a ‘painful’ watch for Dafydd Jenkins so far this season.

- MARK STEVENS

Sidelined after shoulder and knee surgery last summer, the 22-year-old has felt somewhat helpless as both Exeter Chiefs and Wales have struggled to find consistency, let alone a winning formula.

Thankfully, months of hard toil in the depths of the gymnasium at Sandy Park have at last borne fruit, the second row returning to competitive action two weeks ago against Toulouse in the Champions Cup.

Keen to make up for lost time, Jenkins is hellbent on doing his utmost to get both his club and his country back on the straight and narrow come the New Year.

“It’s been hard, both physically and mentally,” said the towering second-row. “When the boys are losing and you can’t really do much about it, you kind of feel a bit helpless. Equally, when you’re in the gym on your own in those early mornings or late nights, it can definitely get frustrating for sure.

“What gets you through, however, is that all the hard work and effort you put in does pay off when you get back out on the pitch. Having someone like Sladey (