Alun Wyn Jones

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For other people named Alun Jones, see Alun Jones (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Wyn Jones (rugby union).
Alun Wyn Jones
OBE
Alun Wyn Jones 2008 (cropped).jpg
Jones during a match against Harlequins, October 2008
Date of birth (1985-09-19) 19 September 1985 (age 35)
Place of birthSwansea, Wales
Height198 cm (6 ft 6 in)[1]
Weight19 st 2 lb (122 kg)[1]
SchoolLlandovery College
UniversitySwansea University
Rugby union career
Position(s) Lock
Current team Ospreys
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2004–2006 Swansea 35 (15)
2005– Ospreys 238 (120)
Correct as of 20 October 2019
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2005–2006 Wales U21 20 (5)
2006– Wales 148 (45)
2009, 2013,
2017, 2021		 British & Irish Lions 12[2] (0)
Correct as of 18:20, 22 March 2021 (UTC)

Alun Wyn Jones[3][4] OBE (born 19 September 1985) is a Welsh professional rugby union player who plays as a lock for the Ospreys and the Wales national team. He is the world's most-capped rugby union player, with 160 international appearances - 148 for Wales and 12 for the British & Irish Lions.

He is the current captain of Wales, former captain of the Ospreys, and is the captain of the British & Irish Lions in their 2021 tour to South Africa. He is one of only four players to have been selected to play on four Lions tours, in 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2021. He is one of seven Welsh players to have won three Grand Slams.[nb 1] He was named as the best player of the 2019 Six Nations Championship.

Club career[]

Having learned his rugby at Bishop Gore School, Llandovery College and Bonymaen RFC, Jones played for Swansea while in the Ospreys Academy. Jones made his Ospreys debut on 4 September 2005 in a 22–20 win over Leinster[7] and having made several appearances as a replacement, Jones made his first Ospreys start against Border Reivers later that month.[8]

After a disappointing first season in which Ospreys finished 6th in the 2005–06 Celtic League, Jones went on to win the 2006–07 Celtic League title, the first trophy of his career.

Jones played in the 2008 Anglo-Welsh Cup final against Leicester, scoring the second try as Ospreys ran out 6-23 winners.[9]

On 23 August 2010, the Ospreys announced that Jones would succeed Welsh teammate Ryan Jones as club captain for the 2010–11 season. The decision was made, in part, so Ryan Jones could concentrate on the national captaincy during a busy World Cup year.[10]

On 8 December 2016, Jones broke the Ospreys' record for the highest try scoring forward as he touched down for his 21st try.[citation needed]

International[]

Wales[]

Having previously represented Wales at under-21 level, he made his test debut for Wales in June 2006 against Argentina.[11] Originally playing as a blindside flanker, he became a lock. It was as a lock that he featured, and excelled, in Wales' 2007 Six Nations campaign. He was a member of the Wales side that completed the Grand Slam in the 2008 Six Nations.[12]

In March 2009 Jones captained Wales against Italy in the Six Nations, becoming the 126th player to be captain of the country.

On 18 January 2010, he was named in the 35-man Wales squad for the 2010 Six Nations tournament.[13] During the first 2010 Six Nations game against England, Jones tripped English player Dylan Hartley, for which he was sent to the sin-bin. During his 10 minutes there, England scored 17 points and went on to victory.

2014 saw Jones captain Wales three times – once against Italy and twice against South Africa. In the 2014 Autumn Internationals, he scored a try in Wales's 28–33 loss to Australia.

In the 2015 Six Nations, he formed a second row partnership with Luke Charteris and won two man-of-the-match awards during the tournament, earning them against Scotland and Italy.

Jones made his 100th appearance when Wales faced South Africa in the quarter-finals of the 2015 Rugby World Cup but Wales were knocked out of the competition with South Africa winning 23–19 and going on to win third place.

Jones took part in the 2016 Six Nations and was originally paired with Luke Charteris who was then replaced by Bradley Davies. Jones suffered an injury in the penultimate game against England in the tournament and was replaced with a returning Charteris. Jones returned to action on the 2016 tour to New Zealand, playing his 100th test for Wales in the first test against New Zealand – his 106th appearance. His 100th Welsh test ended in disappointment with New Zealand beating Wales 39–21, going on to win the series 3–0.

He took part in the 2016 autumn internationals but had to miss the first match due to the death of his father. He returned to play Argentina in which he won the man of the match award.[14]

Jones was named as captain for the Welsh squad for the 2017 Six Nations following Sam Warburton's demotion.

In 2019 Jones captained Wales in their Grand Slam victory and was named Player of the Championship in a public vote.[15] It was later established that Jones suffered knee ligament damage early in the Grand Slam decider against Ireland.[16][17] Following the game, he was referred to by Jonathan Davies and others as "the greatest ever" Welsh rugby player.[4][18]

On 29 September 2019, in a game against Australia at the 2019 Rugby World Cup, he became Wales' most-capped player, overtaking the record of 129 caps held by Gethin Jenkins.[19]

On 24 October 2020 Jones equalled Richie McCaw's record for the most international appearances, 148 caps, during Wales' 38–21 loss to France.[20] A week later he set a new record, winning his 149th cap against Scotland.[21]

British and Irish Lions[]

In 2009 Jones was one of 13 Welsh players selected in the squad for the British & Irish Lions' tour to South Africa. Jones appeared in the provisional games against Royal XV, when he scored his first Lions try, Golden Lions, and Sharks. Jones then started the first test alongside Paul O'Connell against South Africa, with the team losing 26-21 in Durban. Jones appeared as a replacement in the remaining two tests, a defeat and a win, as the series ended in a 2-1 defeat for the Lions.

Jones received his second Lions selection on 30 April 2013, for the tour to Australia. Jones played and scored in a warm up game against the Barbarians before appearing in provincial games against Western Force, Combined Country and Waratahs. Jones started at Lock in the first test, playing a role in a 23-21 win, as well as in the second test defeat in Melbourne. Due to Sam Warburton's tour-ending injury in the second test, Jones was selected as captain for the deciding third test in Sydney,[22] which the Lions won 41–16. This made him the first substitute captain to lead the Lions to victory in the final test of a series since 1904.[23]

On 19 April 2017, Jones was again selected for the Lions ahead of their tour to New Zealand. Jones captained the Lions for the second time in the provincial game against the Crusaders as the Lions won 3-12. Jones was once again first choice Lock for the tour, starting at 4 in the first test and 5 in the second and third and left New Zealand as the first player in the professional era to play in nine consecutive British & Irish Lions tests.[24] During the Lions tour he became one of only seven Lions players to have beaten South Africa, Australia and New Zealand while touring these countries, following the 24–21 win in the second test. Jones started in all three tests of the series against the All Blacks.

On 6 May 2021, Jones was selected and named captain of the British and Irish Lions for their tour to South Africa.[25] He dislocated his shoulder in the warm-up match against Japan in Edinburgh on 26 June but returned to play in the successful first test win against the Springboks four weeks later. Jones played in all three tests to reach 12 British and Irish Lions caps. South Africa won the final test 19-16 and the series by two games to one.[26]

International tries[]

Try Opponent Location Venue Tests Date Result
1  Argentina Cardiff, Wales Millennium Stadium 2007 Rugby World Cup warm-up matches 18 August 2007 Win
2  Canada Nantes, France Stade de la Beaujoire 2007 Rugby World Cup 9 September 2007 Win
3  Japan Cardiff, Wales Millennium Stadium 2007 Rugby World Cup 20 September 2007 Win
4  Scotland Edinburgh, Scotland Murrayfield 2009 Six Nations 8 February 2009 Win
5  South Africa Cardiff, Wales Millennium Stadium 2010 Summer Internationals 5 June 2010 Loss
6  Argentina Cardiff, Wales Millennium Stadium 2011 Rugby World Cup warm-up matches 20 August 2011 Win
7  Namibia New Plymouth, New Zealand Yarrow Stadium 2011 Rugby World Cup 26 September 2011 Win
8  Australia Cardiff, Wales Millennium Stadium 2014 Autumn Internationals 8 November 2014 Loss
9  New Zealand Wellington, New Zealand Westpac Stadium 2016 Tour of New Zealand 18 June 2016 Loss

Personal life[]

Jones and his wife, Dr. Anwen Jones, have two daughters.

Jones studied part-time for a degree in law at Swansea University, graduating on 21 July 2010.[27]

Jones was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2020 Birthday Honours for services to rugby union football in Wales.[28]

Honours[]

Ospreys[]

  • Celtic League/Pro12:
    • 2006–07, 2009–10, 2011–12
  • Anglo-Welsh Cup
    • 2007–08

Wales[]

British & Irish Lions[]

Individual[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "Alun Wyn Jones". Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
  2. ^ Jones also played in the home match against Japan in 2021; it has not yet been decided if this match will be given test status.
  3. ^ Alun Wyn are his given names and his surname is Jones.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b Greenwood, Will (16 March 2019). "Time to remember the name - Alun Wyn Jones could be Europe's greatest ever". The Daily Telegraph.
  5. ^ "Veterans salute third Grand Slam" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  6. ^ "Alun Wyn Jones set for freedom of home city | Ospreys". www.ospreysrugby.com.
  7. ^ Orders, Mark (September 4, 2020). "Alun Wyn Jones' team-mates from his first pro rugby game 15 years ago today". WalesOnline.
  8. ^ Border Reivers 16-6 Ospreys
  9. ^ "Ospreys 23-6 Leicester". April 12, 2008 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
  10. ^ Orders, Mark (2020-09-04). "Alun Wyn Jones' team-mates from his first pro rugby game 15 years ago today". WalesOnline. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
  11. ^ "Ospreys 23-6 Leicester". 2008-04-12. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
  12. ^ "Wales 29-12 France". BBC. 15 March 2008. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  13. ^ "Wales 2010 Six Nations Squad". BBC News. 19 January 2010. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  14. ^ "Autumn international: Wales 24-20 Argentina". 12 November 2016 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  15. ^ "WALES CAPTAIN ALUN WYN JONES CROWNED 2019 GUINNESS SIX NATIONS PLAYER OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP". sixnationsrugby.com. 22 March 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  16. ^ https://www.reuters.com/article/rugby-union-nations-wal-jones-idAFL3N21A055
  17. ^ https://www.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/15190/11672633/ospreys-alun-wyn-jones-and-george-north-could-miss-a-month-and-scott-williams-season-over
  18. ^ Pritchard, Dafydd (22 March 2019). "Alun Wyn Jones: Wales' legendary leader & player of the 2019 Six Nations". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  19. ^ "Wales hold out to beat Australia" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  20. ^ Bywater, Alex (2020-10-24). "Jones admits need for improvement after France leave Wales beaten again". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 2020-10-25.
  21. ^ Alun Wyn Jones world record caps
  22. ^ Palmer, Bryn (3 July 2013). "Lions 2013: Alun Wyn Jones captain as Brian O'Driscoll omitted". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  23. ^ Griffiths, John (17 July 2013). "Who was the last Scot to start a Test for Lions?". Ask John. ESPN Scrum. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  24. ^ "2017 Lions Player Retrospective: Alun Wyn Jones". British & Irish Lions. July 13, 2017.
  25. ^ "British and Irish Lions 2021: Sam Simmonds in 37-man squad but Billy Vunipola misses out". BBC Sport. 6 May 2021. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  26. ^ "South Africa 19-16 British and Irish Lions: Morne Steyn's late penalty wins series". BBC Sport. 7 August 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  27. ^ Mockford, S. "Spotlight on Alun-Wyn Jones", Rugby World, May 2007
  28. ^ "No. 63135". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 October 2020. p. B13.
  1. ^ The others are Gerald Davies, Gareth Edwards, JPR Williams, Ryan Jones, Adam Jones and Gethin Jenkins.[5][6]

External links[]

Sporting positions
Preceded by
Sam Warburton 		Wales captain
2017–present 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by
Sam Warburton 		British & Irish Lions captain
2021 		Succeeded by
Conor Murray
Retrieved from ""