European Champions Cup: Pressure off, but Cardiff 'still have stardust' - Ellis Jenkins

Wales fly-half Rhys Priestland (L) is one of the Cardiff players isolating in a Gatwick hotel

Wales flanker Ellis Jenkins says the pressure is off Covid-hit Cardiff as they prepare to take on holders Toulouse in their Champions Cup opener.

Cardiff have scraped together a squad for Saturday's fixture, despite 32 first-team players in hotel quarantine.

But Jenkins insists "we have still got some stardust across our team".

These include Wales internationals Josh Adams, Willis Halaholo, Tomos Williams, Dillon Lewis and Seb Davies, who did not travel to South Africa.

Director of rugby Dai Young chose to rest those players after the autumn internationals, a decision which would help their plight with the remainder of the squad either isolating in London or South Africa - having travelled there for United Rugby Championship games.

"Realistically, we were underdogs when this fixture was announced," said Jenkins.

"With all the situation that is going on, the pressure is off us completely.

"Sport is strange sometimes. It doesn't always play out as it should."

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Gruff Rees will take caretaker charge of the side, which will be supplemented by Cardiff fringe, academy and semi-professional players, and Jenkins says it is important they create the right environment for them.

"We have got to make it less daunting, relax them as much as we can and allow them to show what they can do," Jenkins said.

"The last thing we want to do is overwhelm them with information or responsibility that takes away from their natural rugby ability.

"We sat down with them at the start of the week and said 'let us do the worrying and the organising and you just go out and play'.

"I have been really impressed."

Jenkins added that Cardiff Arms Park is a special place for European fixtures.

"Probably some of the best memories you have are European weekends," he said.

"I still get people coming up to me talking about the Challenge Cup semi-final against Pau.

"It is well-documented how good Toulouse are as well, so hopefully the spectacle can live up to the billing."

Jenkins has also spoken about the sympathy he has for the six Cardiff players still isolating in South Africa.

"Thinking you are going home and getting to the airport twice and being turned round is not ideal for any of the boys," he said.

"They have had their frustrations, but can now hopefully see the light at the end of the tunnel.

"We have been trying to keep morale high if we can.

"We have had a bit of a laugh with some of them, sending them videos of us kicking a football around and asking them how their holiday is going.

"It goes down well with some boys, not so well with others!"