Wales players in Prem can help Welsh game - Jenkins

Dafydd Jenkins says the influx of Wales players into the English Prem can help improve the game in his homeland.

Exeter lock Jenkins, 23, has spent all his senior career at Sandy Park, and is one of a growing list of Wales’ top players to ply their trade across the border.

Wales captain Jac Morgan and compatriot Dewi Lake were the highest-profile summer additions after they moved from Ospreys to Gloucester, and featured in the Cherry and Whites’ opening day win at Jenkins’ Chiefs.

“It’s class to see,” said Jenkins, who captained Wales aged 21 in the absence of Morgan and Lake in the 2024 Six Nations.

“I think they all probably saw the same thing that I did when I came over in terms of how competitive the league is, the sort of crowds they play in front of, and just how quality the league is. It’s only going to improve you as a player playing against all these top players.

“It’s class to have them in the league and it’s always nice to catch them after the games. Obviously, Jack and Dewi got the bragging rights after that Gloucester game, which I was pretty gutted with.

“Class to see them ripping up and hopefully look forward to playing with and against them soon again.”

Jenkins won his last Wales cap in the Six Nations win over Italy in March [Shutterstock]

Jenkins said the knock-on effect of some of Wales’ top players moving across to England is better exposure for the next generation of Welsh players in the United Rugby Championship.

“I think the positive in that is that they’re opening up space for another young hooker, another young back-rower,” he told BBC Sport.

“So I think it’s only going to probably strengthen the game in terms of bringing more Welsh players through in those regions.”

Jenkins has started all three of Exeter’s league matches this season, having led the club to a Prem final defeat by Northampton Saints in June.

But a shoulder operation after the Twickenham loss, in which Jenkins scored a try, forced him to miss Wales’ Nations Championship games against South Africa, Argentina and Fiji in July.

“It was tough in the off-season to go straight from last season into rehab, but it’s just part of the game,” Jenkins added.

“It’s probably still not as strong as my other one, so still while I’m playing I’m trying to keep on top of my sort of rehab, pre-hab stuff, but it’ll get there as the season goes on.

“Any time you have to say no for your best interest is a really hard decision to make and something that does get a lot of thought put into it.

“But I think speaking to Steve [Tandy, the Wales head coach,] and the physios and all the staff there they were really supportive and just wanted what was best for me, which was really positive for me as a player that they’ve got my best interests, especially ahead of a really big year with the World Cup at the end of the year and a lot of Chiefs honours to go for.”