'I love him': Eddie Jones changes his tune on Alun Wyn Jones
Eddie Jones has paid tribute to Alun Wyn Jones, the legendary Wales lock who captained the Barbarians to their 48-42 win in a 14-try thriller at Twickenham on Sunday. There had been an expectation that the 37-year-old would go on to feature for his country at the age of 38 when the Rugby World Cup starts in September.
However, he instead announced his Test rugby retirement earlier this month and has now played in his final international match in the Jones-coached Baa-Baas’ victory over Steve Hansen’s World XV in front of 33,000 in London.
Following an excellent performance, Jones attempted to sign off with two late conversion attempts but he missed both. “Disgraceful,” quipped coach Jones. “But he has got plenty of plusses, so we will excuse him for that.”
The past week, though, enabled Jones, the coach, to gain a very different perspective with Jones, the warrior, finally on his side and not the opposition, as had been the case during the Australian’s seven years in charge of England.
“There is two things,” Jones pondered in the aftermath. “For very few players it ends like a fairytale. That is the reality, it ends probably on someone else’s terms, not on your own. I am not sure, I haven’t chatted to him about it [what happened with Wales].
“Secondly, he will be remembered as one of the great competitors. If you look at the Welsh side that he has led over the last period of time, they have competed hard in every game that he has played in. He has captained the Lions, they have competed hard.
“He is one of those players that you hated coaching against because you knew he was going to be at it, you knew he was going to be at the referee, and you knew he was going to do everything to get his team to be in the hunt. Having coached him today I have changed my attitude towards him, I love him!”
The Killik Cup match programme amusingly suggested lock Jones was a mere 23-year-old, listing his date of birth in the Barbarians’ pen pictures section of the publication as June 11, 1999, when in reality it is September 19, 1985.
Players playing at the highest level in their late 30s is a trend that coach Jones predicted rugby will see more of in the future. “We are seeing players play more and more. The advent of sports science and better strength and conditioning means that players can play longer, that is the reality,” he reckoned.
“(Jimmy) Gopperth has played until 39 in the Premiership, (Johnny) Sexton is going to play in the World Cup at 37. If you would have said that 10 years ago people would have said, ‘You’re nuts’. And now we have got players playing in their late 30s, so we are going to see for the really good players long careers, and for the average players it is probably going to be the same.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The 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.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 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.
10 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
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
51 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
54 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to comments