Wales lock Dafydd Jenkins to miss start of Premiership for Exeter Chiefs

Wales lock Dafydd Jenkins is set to miss the start of the Premiership campaign for Exeter Chiefs after undergoing surgery on his knee and shoulder.

Jenkins sustained the injury while playing for Wales during the recently concluded tour of Australia and now joins Henry Slade in the list of sidelined players for the club.

“It’s tough and frustrating for Dafydd but he’s had surgery on a knee issue sustained on summer tour with Wales, then he’s had a sore shoulder slash rotator cuff type of injury as well. Both the club and Wales feel now is the right time to have them both addressed," said Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter to the club's official website.

“For me personally, I think it’s the right time for him. He’s a young man who has played a lot of rugby for both Chiefs and Wales, so it’s important that he gets them sorted properly now so that he has that extended period of rehab to get himself back fit and ready for what everyone knows is going to be a very good career.

“Obviously, time scales are a little bit fluid at the moment. We’ve got to see in the early initial period of his rehab where he’ll get to but one thing we know – from every other injury he’s had – is that Dafydd is an incredibly hard worker and rehabber, and if anybody can accelerate the process of getting back from these operations, then we’re sure Dafydd will.”

Exeter Chiefs will be locking horns with Leicester Tigers in the opening round of the 2024/25 season at Sandy Park on 21st September.