Alun Wyn is one for the ages
Captaincy backing from fellow second row Brodie
ALUN WYN JONES is the leading contender to captain the British & Irish Lions this summer – as once more he shows age is just a number.
Warren Gatland will name his squad on Thursday for this summer’s tour to South Africa and New Zealander Brodie Retallick says that even at 35, Wyn Jones can command the world stage for a long time.
Retallick is one of the few men who could rival Jones for the title of best second row on the planet. He ranks the Welshman as one the toughest opponents he has ever faced.
Jones is the most-capped player in international rugby history with 157 Test appearances, leading Wales to the unlikeliest of Six Nations titles last month and has just signed a new one-year deal with the Ospreys and the Welsh
Rugby Union.
Retallick, 29, who helped the All Blacks to global glory in 2015, believes Jones can reach what would be his fifth World Cup in 2023, by which time he would be 38.
Retallick said: “To be playing as well as he is at his age is no mean feat.
“He’s just re-signed for his club and Wales for a few more years so it’s awesome to have a player of that calibre still playing on the world stage.
“Victor Matfield played in a World Cup at 38 and so did Brad Thorn, so you wouldn’t write it off. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was there again at the World Cup in 2023.”
Jones had been written off as a possible Lions captain going into the 2021 Six Nations.
But the Ospreys veteran has proven the doubters wrong.
He has moved ahead of Maro Itoje, Owen Farrell, and Stuart Hogg as the frontrunner to lead the Lions in South Africa.
Retallick, who plays for the Kobelco Steelers in Japan, did battle with Jones on the 2017 Lions tour to New Zealand. The sides shared a thrilling 1-1 series draw that year.
Jones’ vast experience – he has been involved in all of the Lions’ past nine Tests over three tours – plus his relationship with former Wales head coach Gatland both weigh heavily in his favour. But Gatland has admitted Jones is not guaranteed a Test spot, with Itoje, James Ryan and Jonny Gray among his lock rivals.
His standing in the global game is without doubt, however, and Retallick believes he would be a great choice, saying: “Someone with that much experience and respect within his country and world rugby has definitely got to be in the mix.”