Cardiff Blues: Gethin Jenkins in contract extension talks

Gathin Jenkins made his debut for Wales against Romania in 2002

Prop Gethin Jenkins is in negotiations for a new contract with Cardiff Blues.

And Wales' most-capped international player says he wants to carry on playing for his country.

Speaking on his 35th birthday, Jenkins said he does not want to "throw away" his work in reaching the World Cup.

"I'm out of contract at the end of the season, I've stated my desire to keep playing internationals, and I'm in talks with the Blues to hopefully extend [my contract]," he said.

"It's around this time clubs start looking for their players and their budgets for next season, so both sides are talking."

Hard to walk away

Jenkins has played 119 times for Wales, including three appearances in the 2015 Rugby World Cup where Warren Gatland's side reached the quarter-finals.

He said the thought of leaving the game at the international level was potentially a wrench.

"When you're still at the top of your game, it's quite hard to finish and to let that go the occasion of running out on an international weekend with that jersey on your back," added Jenkins.

"As long as I'm there fitness-wise and form-wise and feel that I can do the job that I have been doing, I'm going to keep doing that.

"I've let Warren [Gatland] know my feelings on that. The fact I went through so much training and hard work to get to that World Cup, there's no way I'm going to throw that away while I'm still playing at regional level."

Cardiff Blues head coach Danny Wilson backs Jenkins' case to stay on.

"He's proving now and he's proven in the past what a quality rugby player and leader he is," he said.

"He's definitely somebody we at the Cardiff Blues would like to see stay."