A sense of fun informed almost all the areas of Vivian Jenkins’s life, and he brought style to whatever he turned his mind to. He was born in Port Talbot and was dispatched to Llandovery College at the age of nine. It was during his years at school that he was first noticed as a rugby player and as a cricketer talented enough to spend five years in the 1st XI. The return of T.P.Williams to the College in 1927 was a significant factor in Jenkins’ development, and with Arthur Rees amongst the forwards, and Cliff Jones making his way up the school, this was a golden period in Llandovery rugby. As a Classical Exhibitioner at Jesus College, Oxford, he won blues as a centre in 1930, 1931 and 1932, never on the losing side against Cambridge, and he made his first international appearance in 1933, at full back. In a period when fullbacks were expected to be defensively sound, Jenkins attacked the ball in what has become the modern style, creating opportunities for his wings and becoming the first Wales full-back to score an international try. He played 14 times for Wales, including the crowning glory of the decade, the 13-12 win over New Zealand in Cardiff in 1935 when he converted two of the three Wales tries. He loved his cricket too: he gained a blue in 1933 and played many times for Glamorgan. He was so proud that Maurice Turnbull had awarded him his Glamorgan cap, after saving the game in 1934 at Swansea against the Australians.

He taught Classics at Dover College before joining the Land Law Company, and after serving with the Army during the Second World War he took up the career as a journalist which made his name anew. He joined the Sunday Times in the early 1950s, and was an ideal choice to be consultant editor of Rugby World magazine in 1960 and of the Rothmans Rugby Yearbook from 1972 to 1983. Vivian loved Llandovery and returned regularly for Speech Day, playing cricket for the Old Boys in his earlier days, and latterly regaling those lucky to be around him with splendid anecdotes. He lived his life to the full.