Dafydd Jenkins thought dream Wales captaincy offer from Warren Gatland was a prank - 'I was very surprised'

Dafydd Jenkins has revealed he thought he was receiving a "prank" phone call when Warren Gatland asked him to be Wales captain for the Six Nations.

The Exeter lock has only won 12 caps for his country.

However, with World Cup co-skippers Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake ruled out of the tournament through injury, the head coach needed a new destination for the armband.

And he turned to 21-year-old Jenkins, who will become the country's second-youngest captain of all time.

"I was very surprised," he said, "I was in Exeter, at the club, and had a call from a number I didn't have. Gats obviously said who it was. So you're just going along with it.

"I was not too sure it was actually him or one of the boys playing a prank. I spoke to him and I was pretty convinced it was him coming off the call.

"After I put the phone down a few of the boys around me were asking me who it was and I was a bit sceptical.

"We have a few other Welsh boys at Exeter like Joe Hawkins, so I compared the number with him. One of the boys could have gone on my phone and changed the number."

Jenkins made his international debut against Georgia in 2022.

He subsequently made his Six Nations bow at last year's tournament, and was part of Gatland's squad for the 2023 World Cup in France.

He will lead his country out for the first time when they face Scotland at the Millennium Stadium on February 3.

"It's a dream come true," he continued. "It's probably not sunk in yet.

"Once we have the first game, and we're into the matches, it will start flowing a bit more. It is definitely a special day for me and my family.

"When I got the call I was a bit shaken and when he asked me, I had to say yes. It was a massive opportunity for me and one to make my family proud."

With his 22nd birthday still over 10 months away, Jenkins replaces Sam Warburton as Wales' second-youngest captain.

Only Sir Gareth Edwards, who first wore the armband in 1958, can lay claim to being a younger a skipper.

Jenkins is not comfortable being talked about in the same breath as the legendary pair just yet, though.

"They're legends of the game," he added, "but the thing that made them so special was they brought wins as well.

"I don't think I can compare myself to them without wins. I'm trying to back up this honour with some wins in the Six Nations and that would be a real privilege."

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