Gethin Jenkins focused on Blues place, not testimonial year

It was announced on Friday that the Blues captain would receive a testimonial year but the most capped prop in international rugby history is more focused on recovering from his calf injury than thinking about his testimonial.

Last season was Jenkins' first full year as captain at the Blues and he guided them to seventh, missing out on Champions Cup rugby by seven points.

After playing the first two Tests in New Zealand he missed the last through injury and, before thinking of earning his place back for the autumn internationals, he wants a place in the Blues XV first.

"You are never certain of your place," said the 35-year-old.

"My focus at the moment is getting back out there for Cardiff Blues and putting some good performances in for them. Hopefully then I get selected for Wales this autumn.

"I am not going to go on forever but I'm hoping I can bring some experience to the squad and leave the jersey in a better place and bring the players who are coming through to a high level."

Following the announcement of his testimonial year Jenkins looked back on his time at the region and picked out the 2009 Heineken Cup semi-final against Toulouse as his favourite moment in a Blues jersey.

"They were a pretty good team at the time, so to keep them to six points was a big deal. It was the first home quarter-final we had and it was in the Millennium Stadium," he told Wales Online.

"I would have said the semi-final that year against Leicester if we hadn't missed two kicks in the penalty shoot-out because that was an amazing comeback. But it obviously wasn't meant to be."

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