Tyler Morgan back to full fitness and ready for Wales return

By Andrew Baldock

Tyler Morgan looks set to line up for Wales this autumn just five months after he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

The Dragons centre is among roughly 10% of all diabetics in Ireland and Britain with Type 1. The 23-year-old says he is getting used to daily insulin injections and blood glucose monitoring to help combat the condition.

He intends putting the injury-hit misery of last season behind him, as Wales prepare for an Under Armour Series that features Principality Stadium appointments with Scotland, Australia, Tonga, and South Africa.

Morgan suffered a serious ankle problem last October, then a hairline fracture of his foot in February this year. In May, after losing a considerable amount of weight and feeling generally unwell, he was told he had diabetes.

“I actually thought I did have diabetes. I had lost a lot of weight and was going to the toilet a lot,” said Morgan.

“I went to the doctor and said I wasn’t feeling well. He then tested me that day and told me that I had diabetes.

“It’s still a bit of a trial-and-error period for me. I am still learning about it and how it affects the different types of training I do and in games, but I feel I am pretty much on top of it now, I think I am managing it quite well.

“I’ve got a little scanner in my arm that I measure my blood with and I inject once in the morning and once at night. When I am training, because I am eating a lot of carbohydrates, I would inject more times than I would do on a normal day. I didn’t like needles at the start, but I am getting used to it. Everyone reacts to it differently, so it is about learning as I go along and I am slowly getting the hang of it.”

Having gained a place in Wales’ 37-man autumn Test squad, Morgan hopes he can add to his four caps — they include starting the 2015 World Cup quarter-final against South Africa at Twickenham, where he suffered a dislocated shoulder — over the next month after making a strong start to this season.

“I am really chuffed to be back,” said Morgan, whose last Wales appearance came against Samoa in 2017.

“Last season was a bad year for me with injuries and I didn’t get much game-time.

“It is a big campaign for us with the World Cup just 12 months away. We are targeting four wins and, hopefully, I can be involved. I am confident in myself that I can perform at international level.”

Meanwhile, Wales’ record cap holder Gethin Jenkins says he is “very proud of everything I have achieved”, as he prepares to retire from rugby. The 37-year-old prop and former Wales captain will call time on his career after featuring in Cardiff Blues’ PRO14 clash against Zebre on Sunday.

He made 129 appearances for Wales during a Test career that spanned 14 years, and toured three times with the British and Irish Lions, playing in five Tests.

Announcing his retirement, the Blues said that Jenkins, who made his Wales debut in 2002, has been battling to overcome a chronic knee injury.

He will now take up a coaching role within the Cardiff Blues academy.

Jenkins was part of three Six Nations Grand Slam campaigns with Wales — in 2005, 2008 and 2012 — and is regarded as one of his country’s all-time greats, combining powerful set-piece ability with prolific tackling and breakdown work, in addition to outstanding handling skills.

“I have been working hard rehabbing over the last three months and I was confident I was going to be back playing, so it’s disappointing to be retiring after Sunday’s game against Zebre,” he said.

“It’s obviously a big decision, but I’ve had a good innings, it’s time to finish and I am looking forward to one more run-out on the weekend and hopefully finishing on a high.

“The pain I have been experiencing from rugby, in my daily life, simply isn’t tolerable, but it is important to me that, after all the work I have put in, I run out with my team one last time and finish on my own terms.

“I’m very proud of everything I have achieved in my career. I have so many memories from over the years and could stay here all day listing them, but the biggest thing I will miss is that camaraderie with the boys, the buzz of running out and playing, and the feeling in the changing rooms after a win.”

Jenkins has played almost 200 games in two stints with the Blues, while he also spent a season with French club Toulon.

Blues head coach John Mulvihill added: “Gethin Jenkins is a legend of Welsh rugby, a great servant for both club and country.

“He will be a massive loss to us in a playing sense, but his presence as a coach will be a great asset to us going forward. After 13 seasons at Cardiff Blues, at the top of his game, this weekend marks the end of an era at the club.”

Jenkins’ 134 Tests for Wales and the Lions sees him lie fourth on international rugby union’s all-time appearance list behind Richie McCaw, Brian O’Driscoll and George Gregan.

His last game for Wales saw him captain a team that beat South Africa at the Principality Stadium two years ago.