The message is writ-large: cherish Alun Wyn Jones before he unlaces his size 15s for the last time
It’s the question no one wants the answer to – when will Alun Wyn Jones decide to unlace his size 15s for the last time? The talismanic lock has already played 134 times for Wales and nine times for the Lions in a position not known for slackers.
Dubbed the ‘engine room’, playing at lock requires hitting rucks, providing heft at scrum time, hard carries around the fringes, stretching every sinew in the air to reclaim balls off your fingertips and felling ball-carriers until your arms and shoulders are screaming for mercy. The Life of Riley it isn’t.
When Wales forwards coach Jonathan Humphreys last week said Jones could reach the 2023 World Cup, he was probably thinking aloud. For factual reference, the big man from the Gower would turn 38 in France. Not that that grand old age is unprecedented.
Victor Matfield played in the 2015 World Cup at 38 – but he’d taken a full year off and finished with 127 caps. Simon Shaw played in his last Test at the 2011 World Cup at 37 but had only played a modest 73 times for England, while Brad Thorn was another to hit 36 but he played for the All Blacks a paltry 59 times.
If Alun Wyn plays ten games a year until France, he’ll be pushing in the region of 170 to 180 Test caps. Now that’s unprecedented!
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Wayne Pivac announces Wales’ 2020 Six Nations squad
If you add the 250-plus appearances he has already made for the Ospreys, he will comfortably pass 400 professional games in 2020. These sorts of giddy statistics make him look like he has the sort of genetics boasted by a member of the Marvel Comics family, not a mere mortal.
It could happen but the odds are stacked against it. Take Paul O’Connell. He looked indestructible up to the 2015 World Cup before a hamstring injury deprived him of his French swansong with Toulon and the further you get in advancing years, the higher the probability of being written off.
If Wayne Pivac and his Welsh management are doing a fine line in Plan Bs, they should be prepping for the future after the next Lions series. Jones will turn 36 by the 2021 autumn series and may have decided to take a deserved rest.
If that does transpire, Wales have a maximum of 17 games to decide on the person to take Wales forward. This year’s summer tour to New Zealand and Japan may provide a dry-run, depending on whether Jones and the Wales management decide the 12,000-mile trip is best for his longevity. A summer off would seem the sensible option.
There’s no doubt he is a force of nature and an inspirational leader. If you cast your mind back to August and the Wales vs Ireland pre-World Cup friendly, Josh Navidi captained Wales. Navidi is a fine player but on the day, the absence of Jones was keenly felt on the field. You could see it and you could feel it. Wales just didn’t look sum of their parts.
A three-tour Test Lion, Jones knits a Welsh side together like no one else in the modern era – and that includes Sam Warburton. He will soon pass Ryan Jones to sit second in leading Wales and you only had to witness the influence he exerted against Saracens on his recent return to Ospreys duty to see the galvanising effect he had.
Cajoling his pack in rolling mauls, politely questioning the referee on his decision making, he was at his cantankerous best and it should be said after 12 weeks out, he threw himself about with the abandon of an (oversized) spring foal. It was also Jones who expressed his dismay at the woeful season endured by Ospreys fans and players. There was no one else in Welsh rugby who could speak with such gravitas.
His fellow Osprey Justin Tipuric is another player to have worn the Wales armband in his absence, notably against Uruguay and the Barbarians. Tipuric is a players’ player; loyal, brave to a fault and so gifted he can play in the centre – as he did against Munster in this most dispiriting domestic season – but you sense he would not put himself forward to lead Wales on enthusiasm grounds, only a sense of duty.
A key part of the leadership group, yes, but not long-term ‘skips’. Taulupe Faletau is another individual of rare ability but he is not naturally gregarious and verbose. Sometimes in-game or in a changing room, someone of a vociferous nature is required.
Aaron Wainwright's reaction to the red card that helped swing momentum Wales' way in their win over Francehttps://t.co/oHJmAcyEIe
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 20, 2019
Someone who would be a natural fit is Ken Owens. He’s passionate, puts his body on the line and is a first-choice pick but at only 20 months younger than Jones, he could be a long-shot for France and that gives him longer odds. Another candidate is Ellis Jenkins. He has all the hallmarks for the role but is coming back from a 15-month injury lay-off and the hope is he returns to the sort of form he had pre-injury. He will need time.
This brings us to viable alternatives. It is unlikely that Wales would look to a full-back, as Scotland have with Stuart Hogg, and would look closer to the pack. For the reasons mentioned already, Dan Biggar and Hadleigh Parkes can be discounted on age-profile and therefore two men who could fit the bill are a duo from the unfancied Dragons.
Aaron Wainwright is only 22 – the same age as Sam Warburton when he took the captain’s armband – but he has similar traits. A back row, he has raw athletic ability, a clean-cut personality and is someone who leads by thought and deed. He’s also a slightly more gregarious character and looks to be a player who will be in and around the Wales set-up for the next decade.
The other player who could be an option for Wales is Alun Wyn’s partner, Cory Hill. You cannot underestimate how highly the previous Welsh management valued Hill having found space for him in the squad for Japan at the expense of Samson Lee and Rob Evans.
The word that kept cropping up in missives about Hill was ‘leadership’, an intangible yet precious commodity. Indeed, in a previous interview with Eddie Jones, we were once told that only Dylan Hartley and Owen Farrell had ‘natural’ leadership qualities in the England squad, but Hill has it in spades.
Of course, we’re told that ‘everyone is a leader now’ in controversy-free press conferences, but you need a frontman to deal with the media and essentially run a team from Thursday, which is what the erstwhile Jones expected Hartley to do when the Lion’s share of the training had been completed. It’s something Joe ‘Tinkerman’ Schmidt reputedly failed to do with Rory Best in Japan.
The England head coach says he has 'been doing his research' on Andy Farrell and Wayne Pivac.https://t.co/33lEGU1yLQ
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 20, 2020
Hill turns 28 during the tournament and has the age profile and personality to lead Wales effectively. Indeed his biggest hurdle is becoming a regular first-team starter, so the news he has been mooted as an option at blindside for certain games can be seen as a help or hindrance to that aim, depending on your point of view.
It bears repeating that Jones will be one of the few internationals who will go out on his own terms, but it would be remiss of Pivac not to start planning for a post-AWJ future however unpalatable that may be for rugby fans of a Welsh persuasion.
This will be his 15th year of Test rugby since taking his first tentative steps in 2006 in Argentina. If Jones hangs up his boots and retires the No4 shirt after next year’s Six Nations, it will mark the end of an era. In 14 months the idea he could to take his place among the Welsh greats is no longer fanciful.
The message is writ-large: cherish him while you can. Just don’t ask him when he’s retiring!
WATCH: RugbyPass have made something truly special with the Barbarians team
Comments on RugbyPass
There’s a bit of depth there but realistically Australian players have a long way to go to now catch up. The game is moving on fast and Australia are falling behind. Australian sides still don’t priories the breakdown like they should, it’s a non-negotiable if you want to compete on the international stage. That goes for forwards and backs. The Australian team could have a back row that could make a difference but the problem is they don’t have a tight five that can do the business. Tupou is limited in defence, overweight and unfit and the locks are a long way from international standard. Frost is soft and Salakai-Loto is too small so that means they need a Valentini at 8 who has to do the hard graft so limits the effectiveness of the backrow. Schmidt really needs to get a hard working, tough tight 5 if he wants to get this team firing.
3 Go to commentsSorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
2 Go to commentsGreat read. I wish you had done this article on the ROAR.
2 Go to commentsThe current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to commentsSimple reason for wanting him back. Robertson wants him as captain. Otherwise he wouldn’t be bothering chasing him. Not enough reason to come back just to mentor.
10 Go to commentsI had not considered this topic like this at all, brilliant read. I had been looking at his record at the Waratahs and thought it odd the Crusaders appointed him, then couple that with all that experience and talent departing and boom. They’ve got some great talent developing though, and in all honesty I don’t think anyone would be over confident taking them on in a playoff match, no matter how poor the first half of their season was. I think they can pull a game out of their ass when it counts.
2 Go to commentsNot a bad list but not Porecki and not Donaldson. Not because they are Tahs, or Ex Tahs, they are just not good enough. Edmed should be ahead. Far more potential. Wilson should be 8 and Valentini 6. Wilson needs to be told by his father and his coach, stop bloody running in to brick wall defence. You’re not playing under the genius Thorn any more. He’s a fantastic angle runner. The young new 8 from the Brumbies looks really good too. The Lonegrans are just too small for international rugby as is Paisami, as is Hamish Stewart at 12. Both great at Super Rugby level. Stewart could have been a great 10 if not for Brad Thorn. Uru should be there and so should Tupou. Tupou just needs good Australian coaching which he hasn’t been getting. I don’t think Schmidt will excite him.
3 Go to commentsIf he wants to come back then he should. He will be a major asset to the younger locks and could easily be played as an impact player off the bench coming on in the last 30. He is fit, strong and capable and has all the experience to make up for any loss in physical prowess. He could also be brought back with a view to coaching within the structures one day. Duane Vermeulen played until he was 37 or 38. He is now a roaming coach within the South African coaching structures. He was valuable in the last world cup and has been a major influence on Jasper Wiese and other young players which has helped and accelerated their development and growth. Whitelock could do the exact same thing for NZ
10 Go to commentsBrett Excellent words… finally someone (other than DC) has noted that Hanigan is very hard and very good at doing what Backrow should do… his performance via the Drua sauna was quite daunting for those on the other side… very high tackle count… carries with good end result… constant threat to make a good 20-25 meters with those long legs… providing his mass effectively to crunching the Drua pack… Finally he is returning to quality form… way to much injury time over the last 2 years… smart-strong-competent in his skills… caught every lineout throw aimed at him and delivered clean pass to whoever was down below… and he worked hard for the whole 80 minutes… Ned has to be in the top 5 for backrow honors… He knows what is required as he has been there before…
20 Go to commentsI think Sam Whitelock should not touch a return with a bargepole. He went out on a high, playing in the RWC Final. He would be coming back into a team that will be weaker than last years, and might even be struggling to win games, especially against the Boks. Stay in France, enjoy another year with Pau, playing alongside his brother.
10 Go to commentsRyan Coxon has been very impressive considering he was signed by WF as injury cover whilst Uru has been a standout for QR, surprised neither of those mentioned
3 Go to commentsIt’s the massive value he brings with regard team culture/values, preparation, etc. Can’t buy that. I’m hoping to see the young locks get their chance in the big games though.
10 Go to commentsAll good, Gregor, except that you neglected to mention Sam Darry amongst that talented pool of locks. In fact, given Hannah’s inexperience and the fact that Holland won’t be eligible until next year, Lord and Darry might be the frontrunners this year, to join Barrett, Tuipoluto, Va’ii and possibly Whitelock. In fact there might be room for all of them if Barrett played 6 (like Ollie Chessum).
10 Go to commentsHis value is stabilizing the ship 20 - 40 minutes out from the final whistle plus his valuable experience to the underlings coming through.
10 Go to commentsWhat is criminal is she acts like it's no problem her actions have have cause the Italian player to lose her playing career, lose salary, if she did this in day to day life she would be in jail, she is a complete thug!!!
3 Go to commentsCorrect me if i’m wrong but the sadas have to win all games running into the finals yeh nah?
1 Go to commentsDon’t like Diamond but the maul is a joke, the sight of a choke tackle creating a maul then players in offside positions flopping on it killing the ball but then getting the put in? Banal.
3 Go to commentsHopefully Tabai Matson returns to Crusaders as head coach next season.
1 Go to commentsstorm in a teacup really. Penalty only so play on as the try was scored. Now the real question is: why was Maitland allowed to pass the ball off the floor? That is illegal but refs never pick it up.
1 Go to commentsWhen Beauden Barrett signed his contract before the 2023 RWC to play in Japan in 2024, it was NOT part of a sabbatical agreed to with NZRU prior to his signing, as was Ardie Savea and Sam Cane. Barrett changed his mind after the fact and negotiated his return to NZ Rugby and he was given permission to be eligible for All Black selection straight away once he signed a new contract to return to the Blues in 2025. Therefore, why would anyone argue against Whitelock returning to the All Blacks straight away after his season is France is finished if he signs a new contract with NZRU which includes a Super Rugby contract in 2025? If Barrett can, Whitelock should be allowed too.
10 Go to comments