THE CAPS FIT
ALUN WYN JONES launches himself into the air. The Principality Stadium clock has ticked beyond 80 minutes and the match is won. A late try wouldn’t even give England a losing bonus point, such is Wales’ advantage at 40-24. Yet still there is that determination, that focus, from Jones to win the restart, to secure possession so that his side can close out the victory on their terms. He rises higher than Maro Itoje and gets both hands on the ball. Game over.
It’s a moment from the Six Nations that epitomises Jones, as are his three tackles in 30 seconds in the 78th minute of the crazy Test in Paris that ultimately ended hopes of another Grand Slam. Relentless, consistent, driven… These are all words that have been used to describe Jones and they are all evident in those examples.
He’s been doing that at the top level for more than 15 years, in 157 Tests, the vast majority of which he’s played for the full 80 minutes. He’s won as many Grand Slams in his career as each of Ireland and Scotland have throughout history. He’s led the British & Irish Lions to a series-clinching third-Test victory in Australia. There have been trophies with the Ospreys and individual gongs too. The statistics are remarkable – or, as Rhys Patchell puts it, “outrageous”. But what of the man behind the numbers?
Roger Blyth, the former Swansea and Wales full-back who is also a long-server on
