'The fact some ex-players nowhere near as good as him were criticising him wound him up a bit': The making of Lions skipper Alun Wyn Jones
Retired Wales and Lions tighthead Adam Jones has saluted the expected confirmation this Thursday lunchtime of Alun Wyn Jones as the 2021 Lions tour captain, revealing how winter criticism from some ex-players considerably fired up the lock who went on to become the form second row in a title-winning Guinness Six Nations campaign.
The world’s most capped player of all time apparently took to heart claims that he was past his best on the basis of his Autumn Nations Cup displays and he used this as fuel to ensure he was back to his very best when leading Wales to Six Nations title glory in a year where they were only denied the Grand Slam by a clock-in-the-red France try in Paris.
Wales had in general endured a miserable 2020, even prompting calls for new coach Wayne Pivac to be sacked. However, the WRU kept faith in the Kiwi and he was rewarded by a rejuvenated Jones finding his best form to make him the prime candidate to now go on and lead the Lions on their tour to South African under Warren Gatland.
Ex-prop Jones, who now coaches at Harlequins, twice went on Lions tours with his namesake, visiting South Africa and Australia in 2009 and 2013, and he can’t wait to hear confirmation that AWJ is the player Gatland now wants to skipper the squad in the home of the Springboks later this year.
Speaking ahead of the Thursday lunchtime squad announcement, the former front-rower said: “Knowing him personally, he would have taken the criticism a lot of ex-players levelled at him in the autumn, he would have taken it very personally and would have worked doubly hard to get to that level.
"We were training in the gym and someone came up and said, 'Unlucky mate'"
– @heagneyl hears how James Haskell coped with his Lions rejection four years ago before receiving a Gatland bolt from the blue #Lions 🦁 https://t.co/wm2Qej6GdI
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 5, 2021
“I definitely know the fact that it was some ex-players who were nowhere near as good as him were criticising him wound him up a bit more. Look, he was outstanding, he was the form lock in the Six Nations. Everyone knows how good a captain he is for Wales. He was captain of the Lions once for that third Test in 2013, so he will take it all in his stride and the fact he is who is he is now, he has almost gone into that sort of Martin Johnson aura of his leadership with his influence on games and how good he is as a player.
“At the end of the day if he didn’t demand a start in the Test, if he wasn’t good enough to start in the Tests he wouldn’t be captain – but the fact is he is the form lock in Britain and Ireland, he deserves it and I know he will do a great job as captain.”
This will be special‼️ 🦁 https://t.co/pofXFObBej
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 4, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Good luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
37 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.
37 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.
2 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
37 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 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
37 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.
37 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.
37 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.
37 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 commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to comments