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'I didn't want this to be a talking point. The talking point should be about the rugby'
Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones says he hopes “the game and occasion” will provide post-match talking points following the verbal jousting that has accompanied Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations clash against France.
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The build-up has seen both sides not holding back, with Jones’ namesake, Wales prop Wyn Jones, saying he expected the French forwards to “hit and chase and cheat” in a bid for scrummaging supremacy.
France head coach Fabien Galthie then responded to Jones’ comments by claiming they demonstrated a lack of respect for the French nation, and there was “no room for these kind of remarks” in the Six Nations.
Les Bleus team manager Raphael Ibanez, meanwhile, bizarrely criticised Wales for their handling of fly-half Dan Biggar, who failed a head injury assessment in the defeat against Ireland two weeks ago but starts on Saturday after passing all return-to-play protocols.
All Biggar’s testing was undertaken with the addition of a globally renowned concussion expert reviewing his return, which was proactively sought by the Welsh Rugby Union’s medical team.
Asked for his reaction to the scrummaging furore, Alun Wyn Jones said: “It’s funny, I think the tone, context and language used can sometimes be ill-perceived.
“I wasn’t at the press conference but I think it may have fuelled the fire for some. They are not my words. If anything, it’s completely the other way – the words were borne out of respect for what French rugby has been about for many, many years, which is a dominant pack and flair behind.
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“It’s probably borne more out of respect than a lack of but that’s my perception.
“This is the Six Nations tournament and in the Six Nations tournament there is no room for these kind of remarks.”https://t.co/9IoCqAKDQM
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 20, 2020
“Ultimately, we just want to conform to the laws and they are adjudicated accordingly.
“I didn’t want this to be a talking point. The talking point should be about the rugby and the game as a whole and the Six Nations, and not necessarily about the intricacies, because we could go on to the tackle laws, we could go on to the ruck laws and could be here for another two hours and I could miss the team run.
“But hopefully, the game and the occasion is what we’re talking about after the game.”
Quizzed on Ibanez’s Biggar comments, Jones added: “I’m not a doctor so I couldn’t answer any medical questions.
He boasted 396 metres gained from 65 carries and 39 defenders beaten in the Champions Cup group stages for Racing this season… #SixNations #France #Wales pic.twitter.com/nMQyi6xCu6
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 20, 2020
“But it’s interesting he (Ibanez) says that because Prav (WRU national medical manager Prav Mathema) was with him (Ibanez) for two years at Wasps, so I’m sure they will have a conversation regarding that after the game.
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“But I’m not here to answer any medical questions. If he (Biggar) has been deemed fit, then I am assuming he’s fit for the people who make those decisions.”
Jones will lead out a team boasting a Six Nations record 859 caps this weekend, and it is a game Wales must win to keep alive title hopes.
Shaun Edwards brings his unbeaten team to Wales this weekend, with a very strong side in the backs department #GuinnessSixNations pic.twitter.com/jyF2h9pBWC
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 20, 2020
France and Ireland are the only remaining unbeaten teams left in this season’s competition, but Les Bleus have not win a Six Nations game in Cardiff since 2010.
“Sometimes, you go away and people talk about pressure, but I think there’s more pressure from playing at home because that expectancy is there,” Jones said.
“Irrelevant to what we have or haven’t done, there is always that expectancy when you are playing on your home ground, and that’s no different tomorrow.
“We were well aware of the exciting French squad that was announced before the campaign and they’ve backed that up with their first two performances.
“You would like to hopefully think that some of the experience we have, it’s served us well in those tight games, but it is a new French side, a new outlook, a new coaching set-up.
“The fact we’re at home, we don’t want to think or rely on a home advantage, but ultimately the message will be stick to the process.”
– Press Association
Comments on RugbyPass
Lets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
34 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
34 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to comments