Player Profile

Emlyn Jenkins was Wales' 10th captain, leading the side once, against England on 10/04/1935, deputising for the injured Jim Sullivan. Originating from Treherbert, he could have been a boxer, but fortunately chose rugby and was noted as one of the best stand-offs in British Rugby League in the 1930s. A star of the famous Salford team, coached by Lance Todd, he scored 88 tries in 246 appearances, helping "Les Diables Rouges" to the Championship in 1932–33 and 1936–37, the Lancashire Cup in 1929–30, 1931–32, 1934–35, 1935–36 and 1936–37, and the Lancashire League in 1932–33, 1933–34, 1934–35 and 1936–37. He left for Wigan in 1938, playing just 18 times there before departing for Keighley. Internationally, in addition to his four Welsh caps, he won nine for Great Britain, which included all five tests on the 1936 Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand, and two for "England". After his player career, he coached Leigh in 1946-47 and again from 1948-50 and then  St.Helens from 1950-52. He pulled on his boots again as player-coach at least once for each of the clubs. When leaving Saints, he was succeeded by fellow-Welshman Jim Sullivan in June 1952 when Jim became their first full time manager. In addition to rugby, he was a warehouseman for the police, a college lecturer and a pub landlord. Emlyn died in Treorchy on October 19th 1993, aged 82.