Ellis Jenkins was delighted to savour the moment of winning a European final alongside his mates, as Cardiff Blues secured a dramatic victory over Gloucester in Bilbao.
With Gethin Jenkins ruled out with injury, the back row was called upon to captain the side at San James Stadium, and was typically effective in the breakdown throughout the clash.
Gareth Anscombe slotted a last-minute penalty to bring the Challenge Cup back to the Welsh capital for a second time, and Jenkins believes the spirit within the camp played a huge part in his side’s recent run of form.
“The team character we have in this squad has played a huge part, and we’ve also had a couple of boys returning to fitness which helped along the way as well,” said Jenkins.
“We managed to get some momentum going over the past few months and we’re enjoyed our rugby and the way we play at the moment.
“We enjoy each other’s company both on the field and after the final whistle has been blown and it’s nice to be able to share a beer with my mates in the changing room after a win like that.
“It took us 79 minutes but we got there in the end!
“It was about digging in towards the end of the game. We’ve trained hard all season to give us opportunities like this and we didn’t want to leave anything on the pitch.
“Gareth had to make sure he kicked the last one after he missed the one before that! But in all seriousness, he is a quality player and it didn’t cross my mind that he was going to miss two in a row.”