Alun Wyn reveals the three wishes on his rugby ‘to-do’ list
ALUN Wyn Jones has revealed the three major goals he has left to achieve in a stellar professional career that has so far spanned 13 years and seen him hit the heights with Wales, the British & Irish Lions and the Ospreys.
Last summer’s victory over the All Blacks in Wellington saw the celebrated lock become only the seventh player to win Lions Tests against New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.
He has won two Grand Slams and another Six Nations title with Wales and three league titles and an EDF Energy Cup final with the Ospreys.
But Jones still has boxes he wants to tick in the game.
He is keen to win the Champions Cup and also wants to figure in a World Cup final.
And he also wants to feature for what he calls the “ultimate invitation team”, namely the Barbarians.
Asked about his remaining targets, he replied: “It’s the obvious ones I haven’t done.
“Take everything I have done and what’s left you want to achieve all of that.
“I’d love to feature for the Barbarians. I’d love to win a Champions Cup and I’d love to get to another World Cup and make a fist of it: get to a World Cup final at least and see what could have been, particularly after 2011.
“I’m probably being greedy and asking for a bit too much, but it’s served me well over the past few years.”
Like the rest of the planet, Jones has seen footage of THAT Barbarians try in 1973, triggered by three slashing sidesteps from Phil Bennett that took out a third of the New Zealand side and finished by Gareth Edwards close on 100 metres upfield at the old National Stadium.
He has heard tales of the epic tours and witnessed the running rugby that is the hallmark of the black-and-white shirted cavaliers who have an appeal beyond the sport. He has heard of their Corinthian spirit and how it used to be and how it still is.
Yet, despite his pre-eminence in the game, the chock-a-block rugby calendar has meant he simply hasn’t had the opportunity to pull on the famous shirt.
“I still haven’t played for them,” he said.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to play for the Lions, but (the Barbarians) are the ultimate invitation team.
“I don’t know when that opportunity will come. There have been murmurings in the past, but obviously it’s a bit difficult now with quota numbers on the number of games you play and being rested for summer tours, particularly this year.
“So, it will probably be a hard one to fit in, but it would definitely be an ambition because having seen the great guys who’ve gone through those jerseys, it would definitely be something you’d like to do.”
Jones led Wales to second in the Six Nations after a campaign that saw them win all their home games, including a stylish success against Scotland, but come unstuck twice on the road.
They were criticised for deviating from the freewheeling and expansive game they unleashed on the Scots and ending the tournament pragmatically rolling up their sleeves to get the job done against France, graft ahead of art, but their skipper believes the introduction of a number of new players has been a significant plus in 2017-18.
“We were able to give some younger players an opportunity, allowing us to build some depth,” he said.
“It’s now an upward curve to the World Cup.
“We weren’t the complete package by any means. Going into the Six Nations we said we wanted to create opportunities and take them, but the opportunities we didn’t take were costly with regards the championship as a whole.
“But we are developing strength in depth. There will be a summer tour with people getting opportunities, while there will also be another autumn international and Six Nations campaign before the World Cup.”
Jones’ immediate priority is to guide the Ospreys into next season’s Champions Cup.
He put his shoulder to the wheel as soon as he returned from the Six Nations, playing against Leinster in Swansea and leading from the front as his side posted a 32-18 win.
The Ospreys still have plenty to do to secure another season in the Champions Cup, but the victory over the Dubliners has encouraged belief that the goal of top-tier European rugby in 2018-19 may yet be achievable.
“To go back into the Challenge Cup isn’t something we want to do,” said Jones ahead of Friday evening’s Guinness PRO14 game against Connacht in Swansea.
“The target for us is Champions Cup rugby and we can still achieve that as we have a game in hand over other sides.
“It could go down to Judgement Day (when the Ospreys face Cardiff Blues at the Principality Stadium) and we could still have to play in a play-off.
“It’s massive for us to be in the top echelon of European rugby.”