Gareth was my dad's captain at Llanelli  Youth, when he was coach. Even then, Gareth was totally inspirational. Enthusiasm, commitment,  dedication,  loyalty,  poured out if Gareth, and it was obvious that he would  make a big impression on the rugby, stage.

He was unlucky that such a good player as John Taylor was also playing  at that time,  but also suffered really  badly with knee injuries.

I imagine today  Gareth would have won 100 caps.

Following that, he becamec a student of the game, and coaching was the ideal vehicle for his talent. 

His passion,  insight, and great partnership  with Alan Lewis, led to unparalleled  success  for Llanelli. 

This was a " golden period " for us before the game went professional,  creating  a huge  disadvantage  for an economic backwater tucked away in west wales.

Gareth' s lifetime of experience , is luckily still used by the Scarlets,  and that can only be a good thing.

Gareth , would never  mention this, and is,always diplomatic  and tight-lipped about his appalling treatment  by the WRU top brass.

In another thread, (Wales Fiji), I mentioned the way the players totally  ignored Gareths planning and structure to tie Fiji down in the nightmare  2007 game. 

I mentioned this to Gareth and he did concede this was the case.

This was a team led by Gareth Thomas, the same guy, who (with others)allegedly,  was behind Rudocks departure. (Remember the infamous Scrum V debacle,  Eddie Butler v Thomas" bane your sources")

This then led to Gareth Jenkins sacking, and utter humiliation .

The WRU  did'nt have the decency  come home , and follow a review process. Gareth was sacked in a car park  ,then eventually when they did get back he had to get off the coach before it got to the Vale resort , so Gareth would not have to face the press, gathering there in hordes. 

Who are the two  2 figures central to this machiavellian plot..none other than Roger Lewis and David Pickering .

You would not find a more slimy snake in the Amazon or Congo than Lewis, and as for Pickering,  he makes Judas Iscariot look like your best mate ! A smile from Pickering,  meant the knife would follow in the back...and thatscwhat happened.

Gareth is a very honest guy, who wears his heart on his sleeve, but probably  was inexperienced  dealing with WRU political operators like Lewis, who would not have out of place in the  murky world Borgias, or Medicis.

Its clear now what a shambles tye WRU was , run by sexist small men in blazers. 

Thankfully it took a scandal to reveal the depth of the shame.

Now , it will take years to right the wrongs.

Whatever  has happened,  cannot dim my sheer pride and admiration  for Gareth.

Here was a lad, like myself from relatively  humble upbringing. Both went to a secondary  school, Gareth  to Stebonheath, and myself ,to Coleshill.Even though expectations  were low there,I was immensely proud of the education  I received .

Gareth went to work in the steelworks,  and I went to Art College,  with no real thought of a future.

Latter in life, I looked at Gareth , who was articulate, commanding insightful, and inspirational, when I too had make a succes a career in teaching,  proving that what disadvantages are put in front of you, if you want to make it there's a chance.

On Saturday, it will be a monumental day at Parc Y Scarlets, when we honour the  greatest Scarlet player I have seen in my life time,  in Phil Bennett.  There will be a tear in my eye for sure, maybe even more than the day of the funeral.It should ge a great occasion, a celebration  of everything  Benny held dear, attacking skills positivity,  and sheer joy!

If however Benny was the greatest player I have seen on Scarlet soil, 

who then for me has had the greatest impact on Llanelli  rugby in my life.Carwyn, naturally comes to mind, then we have had some wonderful   figures off the field laying the cornerstones of success  so we can achieve on the field. 

My search though , comes back to Gareth Jenkins.

A talented player, fearless, and tenacious,  never shirking the less glamorous  areas of the game, often unseen.

It is almost criminal that he was'nt capped many many times.

As a coach, he was the most successful  in our history leading to Wales and lions roles.

Now in an advisory  capacity he is STILL working  so we as Scarlets, remain in a position to compete. 

If there was ever a " Mr Llanelli" , with the words tattooed like a stick of rock right through, it would be him"

I will leave you with one image that summed up Gareth Jenkins

Think back to 2019, when Llanelli RFC,  had to play Pontypool,  in a shoot out at Port Talbot Athletic ground to survive in the premiership 

I went there, more nervous  than I can ever remember,  full of trepidation. The place was rocking with Poola fans outnumbering us, 

 10 to1.

If we lost,  we faced the humiliation  of relegation  from the premiership, ironically,  a league we have stepped  down from voluntarily

Fortunately,  we won that day, and the relief was massive. 

Standing outside the changing rooms, was Gareth Jenkins, the

emotion etched on his face. The elation of  avoiding  such indignity,  for the first time in our history,  was massive, and the elation, and relief was palpable. Its clear,  it meant that much to Gareth( like it did for many  others)... and in a moment, it summed him up and his commitment  to Llanelli  rugby, and a lifetime of service.

Gareth we lucky to have had you as a leading light,  and furthermore,  as with Benny, your qualities as a genuine,  generous human being , transcends all other things even sport. 

I THANK YOU

all other things 

Lovely post Mark. I remember visiting my neighbour in Glangwili & Gareth was there also visiting. I didn't want to bother him but had an opportunity & shook his hand and said what joy he had brought to me over so many years. When he found out that I had played in the same Amman Valley Grammar team as his old partner Alan Lewis he beamed with joy remembering those years. 

We, the Scarlets, have been so blessed to have counted in our numbers truly great players & coaches. Some have remained within the Scarlet family for decades & made themselves true legends - Gareth Jenkins can be numbered as one. 

Was Head Coach when we defeated the Wallabies in 1992, Head Coach of 6 Welsh Cup winning teams, 3 League winning teams, and qualified from his group in 7 Heineken Cup campaigns, reaching the semi finals twice. I think he was an Assistant Coach for 2 Welsh Cup wins in the 80s too. 

Legend. 

From about 8 years ago, I remember a Con Air story of some now very upright members of local society travelling up to see the RFC play. A cup game in Scotland. Iirc, Gareth was there and they had a good chat.

It’d be nice to hear more of those chats.

Everything seemed to fall on his shoulders for that WC defeat, even recent retelling of the events like Gareth Rhys Owens pretty awful podcast only cast the net as far as 1 comment by Mark Jones of the players going off script in that game, there was no real context given aside from a nod to Fiji playing well.

For someone of my era Gareth is without question the greatest Scarlet, his contribution to the club spans 7 decades and is littered with success, magical moments, inspiration and absolute humility.

Great opening post. 

That really puts things into perspective, doesn't it?

A great thread - Gareth Jenkins is an absolute Scarlet legend, and rightly so. Would have had many caps but for those knee injuries... should have been named national coach much earlier when at his peak... carried the can for Wales players (and captain) not following his game plan... and still had the dignity to remain silent about the shameful treatment he received from the WRU. 

We are lucky to still have his input.

Diolch, Gareth.

Can I first of all say, what an absolute privilege it is to share on Scarletfever with so many liked minded people.

I am an unashamed  Scarlet (& Llanelli) fan  all my life, and will remain so until I pop my cloggs.

I have made so many friends  supporting scarlets, like Mark (157cb) & cliff Williams who sits next to me in the North stand

Now I find another chapter in my life opening up , because of links forged with great people on SF.

In that context can I thank Reesy,Aber, GPR and others for  their 

contribution  to this thread.

It warms my heart to year so many people who share with me my heartfelt views on iconic figures like Gareth.It almost brings a5ear to my eye. DIOLCH. 

Moving on to specifics regarding GarethHe was first snubbed by the WRU, because he proposed a series of changes to structures,which clearly irked the committe. Terry Cobner had a power base at tye time within the union,and Gareth views would  have 'invaded his territory '.

Cobner had his supporters on the Committee., like fellow Gwent man Lewis, and probably convinced the others that Gareth was not the right fit, ironically just like Carwyn, many years previously. 

The union went with Ruddock, who we all know was a good coach, but maybe was perceived  not to step on anyone's shoes.

Sadly we all know what happened to Mike Ruddock, stabbed in the back, just like Gareth  who followed him.

Who was silent through all this Dai Pickering , a quisling, who would have been shot if he lived in Vichy France in the 1940's.

With friends like him, who needs enemies. 

Gareth should have been appointed  as Wales coach, when he was at the  zenith of his power,  instead of following Ruddock in to a squad ruled by Alfie ( bungalow) Thomas,  and player power.

Gareth was supported by inexperienced ( then) coaches in Robin Mcbryde and Neil Jenkins, so had no real chance of success, if you consider  all the above. Its very sad.

To be humiliated  by a pigmy  like Roger Lewis is no sickening,  it doesn't  bear thinking  about. 

 Gareth deserved.better,as a talented and dignified  human  being

What he hasgit  however is our love and respect

Didn't speak to him, but he sat behind me in one of the hospitality boxes for the Clermont match. Phil May was sitting next to me. Why Phil wasn't in one of the hospitality boxes I don't know.

I saw him fill in a couple of times at 9 and he wasn't bad.  But why an international 7 went down that route, only he knows.

He has one heck of an eye for young talent and is happy to travel the depths of Britain to find it and to sell the scarlets rugby dream to them.

He’s untouched when it comes to the most decorated coach in welsh club/regional history.  growing up watching the Llanelli RFC teams of the eighties, nineties and the early noughties was just a privilege, the 93/94 season was just immense, had there been a European Champions Cup that year I have no doubt we would have walked it, as we were the most successful team in the British Isles that season and won that accolade in London.

Gareth and Alan Lewis knew how to prepare teams, we never really worried too much about what the opposition would bring to the game as they were confident that we could still beat them.

Great post Legend (as always)

Yesterday, I watched a wonderful documentary about the novel "kestrel for a Knave", written by Barry Hines, and turned in to a film, by the incredible Ken Loach.

Many(of a certain age) will remember it  well , about a poor lad Billy Casper, from an impoverished background and dysfunctional family.

It portrayed a brutal education system, from which there was was no way out except the local pit or steelworks , for some you were judged on a ridiculous exam taken at 11 years old, and quite often also judged  on on the bed from the postcode you were born in.

Gareth Jenkins ,like myself were a product of the above, but we were able to punch a hole in that glass ceiling, him through rugby and me, through a career in education.

That pride in his roots, that burning passion to be the best, so our little town of Llanelli, for all its disadvantages, could compete with and quite often, be the best.

Gareth was (and still is ) a working class hero and an example too all that "attitude" and hard hard work, can go a long way to achieving success(which he achieved).

His partnership with Alan Lewis was probably the best we have had and arguably, overall, even eclipsed what Carwyn achieved. 

Well done RR..i hope you enjoyed.

Both Benny and Gareth were / are so grounded both loved it too.