Jenkins to start Wales's November home opener
Published on: 05/11/2026
Exeter Chiefs lock Dafydd Jenkins will start Wales’s first home Nations Championship match of the year on Saturday evening.
The game, which kicks off at 16:40 in Cardiff at the Principality Stadium, pits the Welshmen up against Eddie Jones’ Japan side.
Jenkins and Archie Griffin both return to the Welsh squad for the first time in this Championship, having both missed out in the summer due to injury. Ben Carter of Dragons will be Jenkins’ partner in the second-row.
Head coach Steve Tandy said: “There’s lots of competition for position within the squad, which is where we want to be. We’re excited to be to back at home. We want to go out there on Saturday, put our mark on the match and start the next phase in our Nations Championship campaign strongly.”
Gloucester Rugby’s newest duo Dewi Lake and Jac Morgan both feature in the starting line-up while Bath Rugby’s Louie Hennessey prepares to make his first appearance at the Principality having won his lone cap away to Ireland in this year’s Guinness Six Nations.
Wales v Japan will be broadcast live on ITV or check their match centre here.
Wales:
15. Blair Murray (Scarlets – 19 caps)
14. Louis Rees-Zammit (Bristol Bears – 43 caps)
13. Eddie James (Scarlets – 11 caps)
12. Max Llewellyn (Gloucester Rugby – 13 caps)
11. Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby – 72 caps)
10. Sam Costelow (Scarlets – 22 caps)
9. Tomos Williams (Saracens – 75 caps)
1. Nicky Smith (Sale Sharks – 66 caps)
2. Dewi Lake (Captain, Gloucester Rugby – 34 caps)
3. Archie Griffin (Bath Rugby – 16 caps)
4. Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs – 31 caps)
5. Ben Carter (Dragons – 21 caps)
6. Alex Mann (Cardiff Rugby – 18 caps)
7. Jac Morgan (Gloucester Rugby – 27 caps)
8. Aaron Wainwright (Leicester Tigers – 70 caps)
Replacements:
16. Ryan Elias (Scarlets – 51 caps)
17. Rhys Carré (Saracens – 31 caps)
18. Tomas Francis (Sale Sharks – 82 caps)
19. Teddy Williams (Cardiff Rugby – 10 caps)
20. James Botham (Cardiff Rugby – 24 caps)
21. Reuben Morgan-Williams (Ospreys – 3 caps)
22. Dan Edwards (Ospreys – 13 caps)
23. Louie Hennessey (Bath Rugby – 1 cap)
Written By:
Exeter Chiefs Rugby Club
