Hywel Jenkins

{{Infobox rugby biography

| name = Hywel Jenkins

| image =

| image_size =

| alt =

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| birth_name =

| full_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|3|7|df=y}}

| birth_place = Caerphilly, Wales

| height = 193 cm

| weight = 110 kg

| school =

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| relatives = Dafydd Jenkins (son)

| occupation =

| position = Back row

| years1 = 1996–2000 |clubs1 = Llanelli |apps1 = 102 |points1 = 130

| years2 = 2000–2002 |clubs2 = Swansea |apps2 = 38 |points2 = 15

| years3 = 2002–2006 |clubs3 = Neath |apps3 = |points3 =

| years4 = 2007 |clubs4 = Ebbw Vale |apps4 = |points4 =

| years5 = 2007–2008 |clubs5 = London Welsh |apps5 = |points5 =

| years6 = 2008–2010 |clubs6 = Bedwas |apps6 = 28 |points6 = 20

| repyears1 = |repteam1 = Wales U19 |repcaps1 = |reppoints1 =

| repyears2 = |repteam2 = Wales U21 |repcaps2 = |reppoints2 =

| repyears3 = 2000 |repteam3 = Wales A |repcaps3 = 1 |reppoints3 = 0

}}

Hywel Jenkins (born 7 March 1976) is a Welsh former professional rugby union player who played as a back row forward for Llanelli, Swansea, Neath, Ebbw Vale, London Welsh and Bedwas. He was also a youth international for Wales and earned one cap for Wales A on a development tour to Canada in 2000; he was sent home from the tour after the third game for violating a curfew.{{cite news |title=Jenkins sent home from Canada tour |url=https://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/story/_/id/15345590/jenkins-sent-home-canada-tour |website=ESPNscrum |date=25 June 2000 |accessdate=22 November 2024 }} He also played for the Wales senior team once, in an uncapped match against the United States ahead of the 1999 Rugby World Cup.

In June 2002, Jenkins was charged with the rape of a woman at a house party in Bridgend.{{cite news |title=Rugby star charged with rape |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/2033670.stm |website=BBC News |date=8 June 2002 |accessdate=22 November 2024 }} He maintained his innocence, and the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the case the following month,{{cite news |title=Rugby star's rape charge dropped |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/2163554.stm |website=BBC News |date=31 July 2002 |accessdate=22 November 2024 }} prompting Jenkins to consider his own legal action.{{cite news |title=Rugby star may sue over false claim |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/2164858.stm |website=BBC News |date=1 August 2002 |accessdate=22 November 2024 }}

Jenkins' son, Dafydd, is also a professional rugby union player who plays as a lock for Exeter Chiefs and Wales.{{cite news |first=Mark |last=Orders |title=The talented Wales teen who's signed for English giants and just played the first 80-minute game in his life |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/talented-wales-teen-whos-signed-20940433 |website=Wales Online |date=30 June 2021 |accessdate=22 November 2024 }}