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'We can't say we didn't know it was coming': Why the returning Alun Wyn Jones is hungry for Ireland clash
Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones says he has had “a pretty seamless” recovery from injury ahead of his comeback in Sunday’s Guinness Six Nations clash against Ireland.
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Jones will make his first appearance in Wales or Ospreys colours since suffering a knee injury during the Autumn Nations Cup victory over Italy nine weeks ago.
He goes straight back into test match action with Wales targeting a strong start to their Six Nations campaign following last year’s poor fifth-placed finish and an overall run of just three wins in 10 games.
“I had a good recovery and touch wood it has been pretty seamless in terms of its progression and the staged return,” Jones said.
“I was fully prepared to play in the Connacht game (for the Ospreys). I’ve been fortunate enough to get the nod for the game on Sunday.
“I have been a bit frustrated, really, because it was a similar period for me post-World Cup in 2019.
“This one (injury) was just someone falling on me. It has been a bit more frustrating, but I am relishing the chance to get back into it properly.”
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Jones makes his 153rd appearance for Wales and the British and Irish Lions this weekend – an ongoing world record – and he leads a record-breaking team.
With a total of 874 caps, it is the most experienced Wales line-up fielded in international rugby union history.
Nine of the side have featured more than 50 times for their country and the back-row of Dan Lydiate, Justin Tipuric and Taulupe Faletau contains a mammoth 225 caps.
Reflecting on 2020, Jones added: “The disappointing thing was how we started the Autumn Nations Cup.
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“We’ve spoken a lot about the opportunity that was given and in patches it came together, but the results didn’t follow.
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“Wayne (Wales head coach Wayne Pivac) has been candid that this is the Six Nations and it’s tournament rugby.
“We can’t say we didn’t know it was coming or it was organised late because of Covid. We knew it was coming and we’ve prepared that way.”
Wales have lost their last four games against Ireland, including two defeats last year when they were brushed aside 24-14 and 32-9.
A comprehensive Nations Cup reversal in Dublin three months ago saw an error-strewn Wales performance punished for poor discipline.
And Jones said: “Those are the obvious things (discipline and errors), but it is general consistency across all facets of our play.
“You can win games and list off a lot of things, but ultimately it’s consistency in those key areas which allows everything to flow from there.
“Likewise, the set-piece. If we don’t bring pressure on ourselves, then it helps our attack.
“We were successful the last time we played them at the stadium (Principality Stadium), and it’s the Six Nations now. Hopefully. they can see the best of us.”
Comments on RugbyPass
A great game. The Sharks without Etsebeth are a shadow of the team compared to when he plays. The limitations of Some of the expensive Sharks players are being exposed. Credit to Clermont for some exhilaration play at times.
3 Go to comments100% Mr Owens. But who would want to be a referee.? It must be the most difficult job on earth.
1 Go to commentsStarts to be overdone and oversold this systematic SA narrative…which nevertheless has the merit in this case to recognise blatant refereeing mistakes in their favor
3 Go to commentsNice article. Shades of Steinbeck. They can win the final if they take the game seriously; but only if they take it seriously.
3 Go to commentsWhat a sad way to end a glittering career. Somebody should tell him to delete his social media accounts and face the consequences of what he's done. Then he should slip away quietly into obscurity. This isn't likely to happen, something tells me he'll be back in The Sun / Daily Mail sooner rather than later.
3 Go to commentsguys its fine! he understands why he did what he did and has taken accountability for it; why should he have to be accountable to a court? after all he did was abuse people in person - its not as if he was engaging in _online_ abuse!
3 Go to commentsChiefs flanker Kaylum Boshier yellow-carded for collapsing the scrum as it rolled towards the line. It was a maul….
1 Go to commentsyou know, i’m a leinster fan so I want Northampton to lose and it is gonna be tuff with Cortney lawes, Alex michell and the other guys🏉 lets go leinster🏉
1 Go to commentsWelcome to the Pro ranks. Those hard teams of old do hit the sole better though. its a dog fight at the top.
6 Go to commentsCan someone fill me in please, I've read a number of Ben Smith articles now and it seems he's got something again South Africa? Surely, this game was over and done with 7 months ago. Can't we have something a bit more interesting and relevant, or is this the calibre of journalist on this site?
228 Go to commentsNot sure what the Welsh are moaning about. They’ve had far more players off England, than England have had off Wales. Guys like Josh Hathaway and Kane James will play for Wales in the end. And they’ll be fsr better players for having played in the Gallagher Premiership, than they ever would have been had they stayed mired in the shambles that is Welsh rugby.
4 Go to commentsThis is all being blown totally out of proportion. First of all, since half the Irish team isn’t Irish - it’s very likely that none of the Irish players said that at all and, thus, we’re not being arrogant. Second, since half the Irish team is Kiwi - it’s very likely the Kiwi players were predicting a NZ SA World Cup final. Which they got spot on. Good on them!
163 Go to commentsAha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
87 Go to commentsI’d like to know what homoerotic events Daniel enjoyed at 8th man. I clearly missed out!
19 Go to commentsThis article is missing some detail, like some actual context or info about what led to him abusing the ref.
2 Go to comments*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
3 Go to commentsexcept ot wasnt late wasnt late at all so dont know why you all saying its late he commits early and its your fault fir not paying attention
30 Go to commentsNot sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to commentsABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
228 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
228 Go to comments