Ernie Jenkins

Ernie Jenkins (20 September 1880 – 18 July 1958)[3] was a Welsh international dual-code international rugby player. He played club rugby union predominantly for Newport, and later switched codes by joining rugby league team Rochdale Hornets. While playing for Newport, Jenkins faced the three major Southern Hemisphere teams, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand.

Ernie Jenkins

Jenkins in Newport jersey
Birth name	Ernest Jenkins Jenkins[1]
Date of birth	20 September 1880
Place of birth	Upper Cwmbran, Wales
Date of death	18 July 1958 (aged 77)
Place of death	Newport, Wales
Occupation(s)	dock worker
Rugby league career
Position(s) Forward Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 1910-? Rochdale Hornets () National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1910-1912 Wales 4 (0)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) Pontnewydd RFC () 1905-1910 Newport RFC () National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1910 Wales[2] 2 (0)

International career

Jenkins made his début for Wales against Scotland at the Cardiff Arms Park on 5 February 1910 as part of the Five Nations Championship. It was a one-sided affair with Wales scoring 4 tries without reply, including one from fellow new cap Billy Spiller. Jenkins was reselected for the next match in the tournament, this time against Ireland. Wales won again, this time scoring five tries, the highest number scored by Wales in Ireland. With two wins out of two games, Jenkins should have been part of future Welsh teams, but turned professional in September 1910, joining rugby league team Rochdale Hornets, making him ineligible to play union in future.

His first game for the Hornets took place on 17 September 1910, and on 10 December he was selected for his first rugby league international when he was chosen to represent Wales against England at Coventry. He played a total of four league international between 1910 and 1912, three against England and a single encounter against Australia at Ebbw Vale.

County Cup Final appearances

Ernie Jenkins played as a forward, i.e. number 13, in Rochdale Hornets' 12–5 victory over Oldham in the 1911–12 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1911–12 season at Wheater's Field, Broughton, Salford on Saturday 2 December 1911, in front of a crowd of 20,000.[4]

International games played

Wales (rugby union)[5]

•  Ireland 1910
•  Scotland 1910

Wales (rugby league)

•  England 1910, 1911, 1912
•  Australia 1911

Bibliography

• Smith, David; Williams, Gareth (1980). Fields of Praise: The Official History of The Welsh Rugby Union. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. ISBN 0-7083-0766-3.

References

1. Newport Rugby Club player profiles
2. Welsh Rugby Union player profiles
3. Ernie Jenkins Rugby union profile Scrum.com
4. Irvin Saxton (publish date tbc) "History of Rugby League – № 17 – 1911–12". Rugby Leaguer ISBN n/a
5. Smith (1980), pg 467.