Dafydd Jenkins

Rugby is in the Jenkins family DNA – Dafydd's father, Hywel, was back-row forward with Swansea and Neath, while both of his grandfathers also played.

These days, though, the young lock is making his own name within the game having joined the Chiefs officially during the summer of 2021.

A product of Porthcawl Comprehensive School, Dafydd completed his A-levels at Hartpury College. The Welshman is now combining life with the Chiefs with that of being a student at the University of Exeter, where he is studying Sports Science.

Standing at 6ft 7in and tipping the scales at 18 stone, the Welshman certainly has all the physical attributes. However, it is his on-field understanding of the game which makes him stand out even further.

He made his Chiefs debut during the 2021/22 season in the Premiership Rugby Cup against Bristol Bears and within weeks was then featuring for the Devon club in both the Heineken Champions Cup and Gallagher Premiership.

He is one of a glut of young Welsh youngsters currently plying their trade at Sandy Park, teaming up with the likes of Oli Burrows, Christ Tshiunza and Dan John, all of whom he has played with in the Welsh Under 20s set-up.

In November 2022, Jenkins was capped at Test level for the first time, coming on as a replacement for Wales in their Autumn International against Georgia in Cardiff before heading to France in autumn 2023 as a part of Wales’ Rugby World Cup squad.

During the 2023/24 season, he was handed both the Wales captaincy - becoming his nation's second youngest test captain - and the Chiefs matchday captaincy alongside club captain Jack Yeandle.