Gethin Jenkins has committed his future to Cardiff Rugby as the club continue to build for the future.
The former Cardiff, Wales and British & Irish Lions loose-head has spent the past season working as a part-time defence consultant at the Arms Park and will continue in that role until the end of the season.
However, he has also agreed to come on board full-time for the 2024-25 season onwards, signing a new long-term contract as Cardiff continue to bolster their backroom staff.
It is the second boost to Matt Sherratt’s coaching team in a matter of days after Corniel van Zyl signed a deal to join as forwards coach.
Jenkins said: “I’m glad to have agreed to go full time in July and for the next two seasons.
“I have enjoyed being back at Cardiff. We have a young group full of potential, who have worked really hard and as a coaching group we are all on the same wavelength - both in terms of what we want from the group and the standards expected.
“We have tried to make the best of having two days a week but going full time will obviously give me lot more time with the squad so I’m looking forward to that and driving the club in the right direction, in terms of what we are trying to achieve.
“I’m now excited to contribute as much as I can and thankful for the opportunity to continue learning on my coaching journey.”
Jenkins has made a successful transition to coaching since hanging up his boots in 2018, having amassed 195 first team appearances, in which he won two European Challenge Cup titles.
He first cut his teeth with Cardiff RFC and within the club’s academy before assisting Wales Under-20s as defence coach.
During that time he also linked up with the Wales senior squad to offer expertise as a technical breakdown coach and became a full-time member of the coaching team ahead of the 2021 Six Nations. With Jenkins as defence coach Wales won the Championship title and Triple Crown.
Following a challenging off-season at the Arms Park, Jenkins signed a short-term deal to assist Sherratt in August.
He made an immediate impact despite the part-time nature of his consultancy and Sherratt believes the 43-year-old will continue to drive the Blue and Blacks forward.
Sherratt added: “Bringing Gethin in this season was a really important appointment for the club and he has been excellent.
“We have talked all year about showing fight and Gethin has been integral to that. We have taken something from every game in the URC and our defence has been a really important part of that.
“He is a passionate and highly detailed coach, who demands high standards. It was always our intention to make it a full-time arrangement and I have no doubt Gethin can make an even greater impact as we move forward and develop as a group.”