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'Hopefully he won’t be cursing me': Jones’ first Toulon interview
Alun Wyn Jones has given his first interview as a Toulon player, outlining what he hopes to achieve during his short-term contract at the Top 14 club. The world’s most capped Test player had been named on May 1 as part of the Wales training squad for the upcoming Rugby World Cup in France.
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However, he has instead turned up across the Channel earlier than anticipated in a very different role. Having retired from Test rugby on May 19 rather than commit to Wales’ arduous preparation campaign, his two-game UK tour as skipper of the Barbarians was followed by the July 7 announcement that he had signed for Toulon.
The soon-to-be 37-year-old ex-Ospreys lock has now arrived in the south of France and has started training ahead of a Top 14 season that will begin on August 19 away to Lyon.
He has since sat down with the Toulon media crew for a five-minute video interview in which he spoke about his delight over his move from Wales and how he hopes to lay a good foundation for when Dan Biggar and all the club’s other international players return from the World Cup.
“It’s great to be here, to finally get out here,” he began. “I have the opportunity to come to Toulon and pull on this famous jersey and I’m really looking forward to it. I have been very fortunate to play for a long time all over the world with a lot of great players.
“I still want to play rugby and the opportunity particularly to do that in Toulon with a hungry group of players who want to build on the success of last year, with a lot of players away at Rugby World Cup, I felt it was in many ways the right timing. The planets aligned for me to do this now having played for as long as I had.
“Having spoken to them [Toulon] in a couple of meetings, they were aware of the players who would be away. Hopefully, I can bring a bit of experience to add to the group and build on the foundation of the success they had last year.
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“As it stands, I’m here on a short-term contract until the end of November but hopefully I can make enough of a mark to build on last year’s success and build the foundation for the players to come back after a successful World Cup.
“Hopefully I can respond in my performances and show what the game means to me. Obviously, when walking down here to do this interview, you see the players that have gone before you and what they have achieved (in pictures on the wall), so I have got to earn the respect of players, coaches and particularly supporters.
“I’m hugely aware of the Welsh players who have been here and had success with Toulon. Gethin Jenkins, Leigh Halfpenny, Rhys Webb was here as well, even Eifion Lewis-Roberts. There is a strong theme of Welsh players who have been here.
“I haven’t had an opportunity to speak to Dan yet because I think he is in the Swiss Alps somewhere being beasted by Warren (Gatland), but hopefully he won’t be cursing me too much and we put the team in good stead for when he comes back from the World Cup.”
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Jones added that he was looking forward to settling in as quickly as possible with the new French season just weeks away from starting. “To get up to speed as quick as I can, to improve my language, and ultimately get into the groove as quick as I can, rugby and within the group,” he said when asked about his immediate priorities.
“Things have happened pretty quickly for me and sometimes that is a good thing. You don’t have time to think and just get on with it. One thing I am hopeful of is rugby is a universal language and ultimately a lot of things don’t change and hopefully I can show what it means to be here.
“There is expectation; you see the way the fans support Toulon. If I can answer some of those questions about why I am here, what I have done and what I can do I will be doing the right thing. Also, know a bit of the history of Felix Mayol, it is important and hopefully I can add in a very small way to the history.”
La légende 𝐀𝐥𝐮𝐧-𝐖𝐲𝐧 𝐉𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 a posé ses valises à Toulon pour les prochains mois 🔴⚫
Découvrez les premiers mots du Gallois sous les couleurs du @RCTofficiel 🎥
— RCT – RC Toulon (@RCTofficiel) July 21, 2023
Comments on RugbyPass
End to end play, “THE FANS” this game was entertainment of the best. The conditions added to the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsSorry to say, but sadly the sadas were just ordinary and havilli at 10 as an abs selection just won’t cut it. He’s better suited in the centre’s and is a victim of past charge down kicks, he’s too slow under pressure. There’s better talent further north and I don’t mean dmac however I believe razor will sort him out. A feature of his presents on the park is the fact that the guys will follow him.
7 Go to commentsMarler was brilliant throughout both in the scrum and open play. His slap made virtually no contact with Ramos who milked it for a penalty when he could have been a decent sportsman and laughed it off, it was non-violent and shouldn't have been penalised. Smith failed repeatedly to kick when necessary and put up a couple of bombs into the TLS 22 that just handed back possession at key moments to the other side.
3 Go to commentsCros was outstanding and rightly awarded France TVs player of the match award. Mallia was brilliant as usual (the y is below the 6 on a UK keyboard and he deserves better than that). Level also seems to have been scored harshly as he walked the ball into touch under pressure from a Lynagh kick from well outside his own half which should never have led to a 50-22. Agree with BullShark that Dupont, while class at times, seemed to go missing for patches in the second half with props, hookers and wings frequently filling in at 9 as he couldn't get off the deck and up to the next ruck on time. A 7 by his standards at best, his kicking was also too long, too often. Kinghorn's overall contribution was worth well more than a five.
3 Go to commentsThe Harlequins team must be in minus figures. Did the reporter actually watch the game?
3 Go to commentsHow on earth did Walker escape a red card? Not dangerous? Dupont has his face in a mask earlier this season. Shocking decision. What is the point of TMOs? We had the Fassi ‘non-penalty try’ yesterday and now this.
2 Go to commentsCould have been a different result but yet again French tv able to affect the result by not showing the very clear high shot on harlequin centre if this would have been on a French player would have been on screen at least five times
3 Go to commentsAmazing. The losing team’s ratings are higher than the winning team’s. Mallia definitely didn’t deserve a y. What game were you watching? Should have got a w or an x. ADP hardly featured in that second half. At one point I wondered when he’d been subbed. Seems to me as if he gets an automatic 9 just for getting onto the team sheet.
3 Go to commentsI’m sorry. That second half was far from enthralling. It was painful to watch.
2 Go to commentsVery generous! If you’d missed the game, reading this you’d conclude that it was the Quins front row that cost them the game. Marler getting a blanket 6 for his demented contribution to the game. Puzzling.
3 Go to commentsCan’t see Toulouse beating Leinster at this rate.
7 Go to commentsADP was having a very average game until winning that penalty for Toulouse, sticking his big head in the way. “The head of God”?
7 Go to commentsHarlequins doing their best to do as little damage as possible with all the possession. Looks like they skipped catch and pass drills this week.
7 Go to commentsSeeing pictures of Jacques high-fiving it with Irish players breaks my heart. Too soon. I need more time.
1 Go to commentsquins is all over the place. The minute they get the ball they panic. Quins can still win tho just need to win all rucks otherwise just don't bother.
7 Go to commentsGreat wins for the male & female kiwi sides. Ireland not far away..
1 Go to commentsWhy is this dude getting so much coverage? Usually knobs like this get cancelled.
2 Go to commentsWow. What was that? A 3 million word meandering article about what exactly?
2 Go to commentsNice piece of writing. And yes the Sharks pulled a rabbit from the hat and were a little lucky with that penalty try that wasn’t given… however the Sharks (with their resources) should be way more consistent and should be putting teams like Claremont away for breakfast. I expect more from them and hope they kick on now.
8 Go to commentsJust what the Sharks needed to get things going in the right direction Defence on the outside really creates havoc for the whole team and needs to be addressed.
8 Go to comments