The Scarlets will almost certainly be without their inspirational No 8 this weekend for the crucial Celtic League quarter-final at Munster.

It is a long-standing worry for Quinnell, who injured the joint once again with the Lions during the summer, and has limped back to Stradey Park following a gruelling autumn Test schedule with Wales.

Wales coach Graham Henry thinks highly of Quinnell and appointed him captain following Dai Young's international retirement.

But Jenkins feels that Henry and his staff are not doing enough to safeguard the player's long-term fitness.

"What we have to realise when it comes to Scott is that he'll have an arthritic knee between now and forever," Jenkins said.

"There's at least two or three good years of rugby left in Scott - but that means this particular problem has got to be managed.

"We've found a way at the club that we manage Scott, and he played 30 games for us last year.

"Equally Graham needs to understand that, and maybe give Scott a little bit more consideration than he does the others when it comes to international week preparation.