Wales assistant coach and former world record points scorer Neil Jenkins and Mr Lewis were at the head offices of the country’s national paper The Western Mail, for an interview session which coincided with Mr Brown’s visit to the same building.
The Prime Minister is on the final leg of his regional tour of the UK and could not resist an introduction, when offered, to two of the most influential men in our national game.
“It was a pleasant surprise for both Neil and I,” said Lewis, “It’s part of my role as chief executive to represent the WRU in many environments, but it is not often that someone of Gordon’s stature casually ambles over to say hello during the course of a normal working day.
“We had a good chat and our rugby players in Wales don’t come much more legendary than Neil Jenkins, so it was fitting that he was also able to join in the conversation and represent his country with the same pride he has done so many times as a player and coach.
“We stayed very much away from the subject of national politics and of course the Prime Minister has extremely serious motives for his visit, but our short meeting was certainly an interesting break from the daily machinations of Welsh rugby.”
Mr Brown, who arrived with First Minister Rhodri Morgan and Welsh Secretary Paul Murphy, congratulated former Cardiff and Pontypridd stand-off Jenkins on his glittering career and told how he used to play as a centre and a winger in his younger days.
He also joked about the current outside-half dual in Wales between Stephen Jones and James Hook as being like “the battle between Morgan and Murphy.”
