Lock stock... Who’s in the frame to take on Alun Wyn’s role forWales?
SCOTT Johnson once informed the world: “My father used to say there’s 12 billion people lying in cemeteries who thought they were indispensable.”
Actually, he repeated that particular line more than once.
It was a favourite when he was with Wales and at the Ospreys. And he also gave it an airing on taking over the reins of Scotland’s national team.
Anyway, it is a good starting point for any discussion on the notion of sports stars being irreplaceable.
No one is, of course, but how difficult will it be for Wales to fill the void left by Alun Wyn Jones when he finally calls it a day?
His performances for the Lions this summer were extraordinary, especially after his uncharacteristic dip in form in the first Test against New Zealand. Most players would have imploded mentally had they misfired as Jones did in Auckland.
But a week later spectators were still settling in their seats when he halted Owen Franks with a tackle so emphatic the All Blacks prop must have assumed he had run into a reinforced brick wall. Jones went on to shove Kieran Read backwards and generally prove the all-round talismanic figure familiar to those who have followed his career from the start.
It was much the same in the final Test.
He had picked himself up off the floor when everything suggested that wasn’t possible. The hallmark of a champion player.
While he was confirming his status among the pantheon of British and Irish locks, Wales dared to take a peep into the future by blooding three young second rows.
It used to be rare for a lock to make it into Test rugby not long after being granted the key to the door.
But this summer Wales capped two 21-year-olds in Adam Beard and Seb Davies, plus Rory Thornton, who is a year older.
Jones is expected to have at least a couple more years at the top, making it through to the next World Cup, but the national coaches would not be doing their jobs if they didn’t start to at least mull over the question of who will eventually replace the stalwart who has been a virtual ever present since making his Test bow back in 2006.
Maybe Wales will be fortunate and two top-quality locks will emerge. It happened with Jones and Ian Evans back in the day, just as Allan Martin and Geoff Wheel once came through together. But perhaps that would be greedy. Jake Ball, Cory Hill and Bradley Davies are all good players, but the quest to find the next Alun Wyn Jones, a lock to stand tall whatever the conditions or whatever the opposition, has clearly begun.
Here, MARK ORDERS assesses the three likely candidates to step into the breach... Adam Beard (Ospreys) At 6ft 8in and 18st 5lb, Beard is the type of bloke you’d want around if you couldn’t quite reach something on the top shelf at your local supermarket.
He is also a hugely promising rugby player.
He has an edge to his game, confirmed by Scott Baldwin earlier this summer when he reported of the youngster: “He likes to mix it up with Alun Wyn.”
As you do. But the Birchgrove Comprehensive School product is about more than just biff and bash. He is a more than capable line-out forward, likes to take the ball forward and generates serious impact in defence.
He is also determined not to rest on his laurels after winning cap No. 1 this