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'He's not in the best 4 second rows': The Rugby Pod's shock AWJ Lions selection call
Ex-Scotland international second row Jim Hamilton has called on Lions boss Warren Gatland not to let his heart rule his head when it comes to considering Alun Wyn Jones for selection on next year’s Lions tour to South Africa.
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Gatland said last week that age was no barrier to tour selection even though Wales captain Jones, who last weekend became the world’s most-capped Test player of all time with 149 caps, will be 35 years and 308 days old when the first whistle sounds in next July’s Test series versus the Springboks, the current world champions.
However, after watching Jones fail to shine in Wales’ Six Nations defeat to Scotland last Saturday, Hamilton, an old second row rival of the Welsh skipper, believes that on current form the veteran does not deserve Lions selection.
In the eyes of Hamilton, Maro Itoje, James Ryan, Scott Cummings and Jonny Hill all merit Lions selection ahead of Jones, who guided Wales to a derisory fifth-place finish in the delayed Six Nations after they struggled to adjust to Wayne Pivac’s new regime since he succeeded Gatland after the 2019 World Cup.
Speaking on the latest episode of The Rugby Pod, Hamilton said: “So Alun Wyn Jones, 149 caps, what is the thinking in Wales now, what is the thinking around the Lions? Is Alun Wyn Jones going to go on the Lions tour because he is Alun Wyn Jones or is Alun Wyn Jones going to go on the Lions tour because he is the best of four second rows?
Episode 12 is here and ready to watch!
We dissect the final weekend of the Six Nations with an open cloth, Big Jim tackles another riddle and we raise question marks over the form of two Northern Hemisphere superstars
— The Rugby Pod (@TheRugbyPod) November 4, 2020
“A lot of people say he is going to go on the Lions tour. In my opinion, he is not in the best four second rows. I’d say Jonny Hill is playing better than him. Scott Cummings from Scotland. Across the board in terms of where we stand now is Alun Wyn Jones in the top four second rows? Maro. James Ryan for Ireland: now he is not in the form he was but in my opinion he is still playing better than Alun Wyn Jones. And what is better? It’s carrying the ball, it’s defensively, it’s lineout.
“There is no doubt about it, Alun Wyn Jones is still a fantastic player. Like he absolutely is… but I have named four second rows there, Maro Itoje, James Ryan, Jonny Hill and Scott Cummings. Is Alun Wyn Jones the fifth or sixth? This is up for debate.
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“I know Alun Wyn Jones, you listen to him speak it’s not about amassing 150, 160 whatever caps he can potentially get to, but Wales are in transition. I’m not saying now is the time, it could be next year, but at what point do they say Alun Wyn Jones is going to need to make way because there needs to be an evolution for Wales and there needs to be a change of guard?
“Maybe it’s me because as a player there was no loyalty towards me… why is Alun Wyn Jones allowed to go on the Lions tour? Because he has been a phenomenal player. But if Alun Wyn Jones goes on the Lions tour he’s taking the place of a Scott Cummings or a Jonny Hill or someone who has never been on a Lions tour, or a Jonny Gray. It might be their only opportunity to go.”
Ex-England international Andy Goode, Hamilton’s show co-host, replied: “You have got to think about the coach, you have got to think about Warren Gatland, the experience that he has with Alun Wyn Jones, the detail that Alun Wyn Jones brings to his own performances, the homework he does off the field, the leadership.
“You are naming the top four second rows there now, you are naming Maro Itoje, James Ryan, Scott Cummings and Jonny Hill as the four best second rows in your opinion, Jim. You are taking three guys with limited experience. James Ryan has got a fair bit but Scott Cummings and Jonny Hill have got very limited international experience, so Alun Wyn Jones, if he is fit, if I had a mortgage, I’d put it on that he is going.”
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Hamilton responded: “I agree with you. He will go and I understand the reasons why… but it comes down to taking the best (form) players. Warren Gatland speaks about winners – Wales are fifth. I don’t want to be horrible but they are not the team they were for whatever reason.
“It comes down to the romance side of it. Does Jonny Hill expect to go on the Lions? No, he doesn’t. He wants to go but does he expect to go? No. Does he think Alun Wyn Jones will go in front of him? Of course he does, he is Alun Wyn Jones.
“I’m talking about the simple facts of ability and wanting to win games. If you put Jonny Hill into the team ahead of Alun Wyn Jones, are they [the Lions] going to beat South Africa? I don’t know because Alun Wyn Jones plays a certain style that arguably would be good against South Africa.
“But I’m just talking about the romance of the game and the loyalties that lie with some players that don’t lie with others. Maybe there is a part of me that I feel burnt by that situation.”
It's shaping up be a Golden Oldies tour in South Africa ? https://t.co/VNfiN8Vf8b
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 28, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
The shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
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