Editing Neil Jenkins (section)

==Career==
Jenkins joined Pontypridd in 1990, making his First XV debut on 14 April.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ponty.net/jenkins-neil |title=Neil Jenkins playing profile |publisher=Pontypridd RFC |date=14 April 1990 |access-date=2013-06-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131001000311/http://www.ponty.net/jenkins-neil |archive-date=1 October 2013  }}</ref>

He made his Wales debut aged 19 on 19 January 1991 against England during the [[Five Nations Championship]] in Cardiff, a game that Wales lost 25–6,<ref name="Sporting Heroes">{{cite web|url=http://www.sporting-heroes.net/rugby-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=3956 |title=Rugby photographic encyclopedia & rugby union player/hero images|publisher=Sporting-heroes.net |access-date=2013-06-17}}</ref> but Jenkins scored his first three points thanks to a penalty.  After the Five Nations campaign, Jenkins missed out on a place in the Welsh World Cup squad – the number ten position having been taken up by [[Mark Ring]].<ref name="Sporting Heroes"/>

Jenkins' main strength was his kicking, although he was deceptively quick in his early career.{{citation needed|date=September 2013}} Despite this, he still received tremendous criticism and many felt that he was not worthy enough to inherit the Welsh number 10 shirt of [[Barry John]], [[Phil Bennett]] and [[Cliff Morgan]], leading Jenkins to tailor his game to the demands of the modern game. He developed his tackling, passing and running skills, especially under the coaching of [[Graham Henry]], and became an excellent distributor of the ball, notably his excellent flat passes. He was also a strong runner.{{citation needed|date=September 2013}}  In November 1993 he managed an international record eight successful penalty kicks at goal in Wales's 24–26 defeat to Canada.<ref>{{Cite web|date=23 October 2011|title=Rugby Union: Canadians' club batters Welsh into submission|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-union-canadians-club-batters-welsh-into-submission-1503624.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-union-canadians-club-batters-welsh-into-submission-1503624.html |archive-date=18 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=2021-07-27|website=The Independent|language=en}}</ref> At the age of just 23, he passed Paul Thorburn to become Wales's record Test point scorer in a 29–19 win against Italy, in which he also equalled the record of 24 points in a game he had set against Canada.<ref>{{Cite web|date=23 October 2011|title=Rugby Union: Wales take the high ground: Jenkins finds the target to|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-union-wales-take-the-high-ground-jenkins-finds-the-target-to-sweep-past-points-record-1442720.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-union-wales-take-the-high-ground-jenkins-finds-the-target-to-sweep-past-points-record-1442720.html |archive-date=18 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=2021-07-27|website=The Independent|language=en}}</ref>

Jenkins went on the [[1997 British Lions tour to South Africa]], playing full back in all three tests. His accurate goalkicking enabled the Lions to beat the Springboks during the first two tests,{{citation needed|date=September 2013}} and thus secure the series 2–1. Across all three Tests he managed 41 points, beating Gavin Hastings's previous record of 38.<ref>{{Cite web|date=23 October 2011|title=Lions told to spread the word|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/lions-told-to-spread-the-word-1249671.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/lions-told-to-spread-the-word-1249671.html |archive-date=18 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=2021-07-27|website=The Independent|language=en}}</ref>

In the final match of the [[1999 Five Nations Championship]], Jenkins kicked a conversion in the dying moments of the game to beat England 32–31 at Wembley to deny their English counterparts the title, as Scotland won on points difference, with Wales finishing third. Later that year he also equalled the international record by converting nine penalties in a World Cup warm-up game against France.<ref>{{Cite web|date=23 October 2011|title=Rugby Union: Jenkins flourish finishes France|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-union-jenkins-flourish-finishes-france-1118164.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-union-jenkins-flourish-finishes-france-1118164.html |archive-date=18 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=2021-07-27|website=The Independent|language=en}}</ref>

In October 2000, Jenkins was made an [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]] for services to sport. He picked up the MBE from [[Buckingham Palace]] before being flown back to the Welsh capital by helicopter for a rugby match in which he scored all 24 points for [[Cardiff RFC|Cardiff]] in their 24–14 win over [[Saracens F.C.|Saracens]].

In 2001, Jenkins became the first ever rugby player to break the 1,000 international points mark, with a 28-point haul featuring a ''Full House'' of a try, conversion, drop-goal, and penalty against France in Paris.<ref>{{cite news|last=Palmer |first=Bryn |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/international/3019789.stm |title=The Ginger Monster bows out |work=BBC News |date=12 May 2003 |access-date=2013-06-17}}</ref>

Jenkins went on the [[2001 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia]], but was carrying an injury, allowing English fly-half [[Jonny Wilkinson]] to become the preferred fly-half and goalkicker. However, Jenkins did gain his fourth Lions cap as a late replacement in the second test.

Kicking always remained his major strength – in the [[2003-04 Celtic League]], he was successful with a [[world record]] 44 consecutive kicks at goal for the now defunct [[Celtic Warriors]].

His final match for Wales was on 1 November 2002 in Wrexham against Romania, with Wales winning 40–3.<ref name="Sporting Heroes"/> Jenkins was left out of Wales' [[2003 Rugby World Cup]] squad, and subsequently announced his retirement from international rugby after an 11-year career.

During his 87 caps for Wales he scored 1,049 points (11 tries, 130 conversions, 235 penalties and 10 drop goals) and a further 41 points (1 conversion and 13 penalties) during his four caps for the [[British & Irish Lions]] for a grand total of 1,090 points. He retired as the only player to score over 1,000 points in international rugby.{{citation needed|date=September 2013}} Jenkins' world record was subsequently broken by Jonny Wilkinson.

Despite the early public criticism, Jenkins has established himself as one of the most recognisable figures in Welsh rugby and many rugby fans hold him in extremely high regard.{{citation needed|date=September 2013}} Although he is no longer the leading points scorer in Test history, he is still considered to be one of the most accomplished goalkickers in rugby.{{citation needed|date=September 2013}}