South Wales Evening Post

PIVAC: NEVER SAY NEVER ON AWJ

- ANDREW BALDOCK PA Sport swanseaspo­rt@walesonlin­e.co.uk

WALES boss Wayne Pivac admits it is “a long shot” that Alun Wyn Jones will play any part in this season’s Guinness Six Nations Championsh­ip.

But Pivac claims he would “never say never” as 36-year-old Jones continues his recovery from a shoulder injury.

Jones, who has played in a world record 161 Tests for Wales and the British and Irish Lions, has undergone two operations since he was hurt during the Autumn Nations Series opener against New Zealand in October.

He also had shoulder issues ahead of last summer’s Lions tour to South Africa, but he defied expectatio­n and recovered in time to captain the tourists in all three Tests.

“Never say never. It’s Alun Wyn Jones,” Pivac said.

“I probably wouldn’t enter the conversati­on if it was anyone else, but the guy has broken so many records.

“I honestly say that I would never say never. But, look, it will be a long shot, let’s just say that.

“Al is working incredibly hard behind the scenes, as you know he would, to get himself in the best shape possible for either the Ospreys or Wales.”

Wales fly-half Dan Biggar has been appointed captain in Jones’s absence, and he added: “I don’t think any of us expected him to turn up in South Africa in the summer and he managed to get on the plane.

“If there is anybody who has got a chance of being fit for some part of this tournament, then Al is probably the man. I wouldn’t rule it out just yet.”

Biggar, who will lead Wales when they launch their Six Nations title defence against Ireland next week, has tapped into Jones’s expertise.

“I had a chat with Al last week,” Biggar said. “When Wayne asked me to do the job, I said to Wayne that I didn’t want to change who I was as a person around the team room and on the training pitch, and Al sort of echoed that, really. He said to just be your own man.

“I’ve worked with Al for a number of years now, so to pick up, even if it is one or two small bits which Al has in the way he conducts himself around the place, is going to be of benefit to me.

“In my position we are really encouragin­g other senior boys and even some of the younger lads to really take ownership of speaking up in meetings and training, so it is not just one voice all the time.”

Despite winning the tournament last year, Wales arrive at this season’s staging as only fourth favourites behind France, England and Ireland.

They go into the Six Nations on the back of a thrilling autumn win against Australia, although injuries have hit them hard, with Lions like Jones, Ken Owens, Leigh Halfpenny, Justin Tipuric and Josh Navidi all sidelined, while George North and Taulupe Faletau are only considered possibilit­ies, at best, for the Six Nations’ latter part.

On top of that, Wales’s four profession­al regions have experience­d limited game-time in the last couple of months due to coronaviru­s-related cancellati­ons and players quarantini­ng at home and abroad.

The Scarlets, who have a sevenstron­g contingent in Pivac’s squad, have only played three games since late October.

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