Welsh rugby legend's perfect response to King Charles left Wales star speechless
Tom Shanklin told the tale about King Charles and Gethin Jenkins on a recent podcast
The Welsh rugby legend had the perfect response for the King to be.
(Image: © Huw Evans Picture Agency )
Gethin Jenkins' response to King Charles left Tom Shanklin speechless at the opening of a Cardiff restaurant.
On the latest episode of The Overlap's Stick To Rugby podcast, England icon Will Carling joined Scott Quinnell, Katy Daley-McClean, Lawrence Dallaglio and Shanklin.
Carling had been telling tales from his playing career, during which he had encounters with famous people like John Cleese among others, then Shanklin took the opportunity to tell a rather comical tale of his own. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
"There was a new restaurant that opened in Cardiff," began Shanklin.
"It was a church that had been converted. Prince Charles, or King Charles, now, came to open it.
"Spiros, who owned the restaurant, invited a load of people to come and open it with him.
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"Prince Charles comes in, meets Spiros and shakes his hand. Meets Jason, who is his right-hand man, and Gethin Jenkins is in this line as well, so he meets three of four different people who work at the restaurant."
Lawrence Dallaglio began cracking up before the punchline: "I've gone early!"
"And then," continued Shanklin. "Prince Charles goes: 'And you? You must be the chef', to Gethin Jenkins!
"He goes: 'No, I'm the world record cap-holder for Wales!'
"I didn't know what to say!"
See the video below
For a long time, Jenkins was the world record cap-holder for Wales, being an integral figure in one of their most successful ever periods.
The legendary prop was overtaken by Alun Wyn Jones in 2019, with the lock's appearance against Australia at the World Cup taking him to 130 total appearances at Test level for Wales, which was one more than Jenkins had managed to achieve.
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The 44-year-old is part of the Wales coaching set-up once again, being drafted in by interim boss Matt Sherratt for the upcoming tour of Japan, which will involve two Tests against the Brave Blossoms.
Joining Jenkins and Sherratt in the Far East will be T Rhys Thomas, Danny Wilson and Adam Jones. There is talk of Leigh Halfpenny being called up to coach for his country as well.
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