Alun Wyn Jones

Alun Wyn Jones[2][3] OBE (born 19 September 1985) is a Welsh professional rugby union player. He is the current captain of the Wales national team, and the former captain of the Ospreys. He is the world's most-capped Rugby Union player and Wales' most capped international player. He is one of a small group of Welsh players to have won three Grand Slams including Gerald Davies, Gareth Edwards, JPR Williams, Ryan Jones, Adam Jones and Gethin Jenkins.[4][5] He was named as the best player of the 2019 Six Nations Championship.

For other people named Alun Jones, see Alun Jones (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Wyn Jones (rugby union).
Alun Wyn Jones
OBE
Jones during a match against Harlequins, October 2008
Date of birth (1985-09-19) 19 September 1985
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 143 (45)
2009, 2013, 2017 British and Irish Lions 9 (0)
Correct as of 18:56, 28 November 2020 (UTC)

Career

Born in Swansea, Jones played his first rugby for Bonymaen RFC. Having previously represented Wales at under-21 level, he made his test debut for Wales in June 2006 against Argentina. 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.

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

In 2009 Jones was one of 13 Welsh players selected in the squad for the British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa. He scored a try in his debut for the Lions against the Royal XV. He started the first test and came on as a replacement in the second and third tests.

On 18 January 2010, he was named in the 35-man Wales squad for the 2010 Six Nations tournament.[6] 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.

Jones studied part-time for a degree in law at Swansea University, graduating on 21 July 2010.[7]

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.[8]

On 30 April 2013, Jones was selected for the Lions' tour to Australia. Due to Sam Warburton's tour-ending injury in the second test, Jones was selected as captain for the deciding third test in Sydney,[9] 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.[10]

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, Tim. He returned to play Argentina in which he won man of the match award.[11]

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

Jones was named as captain for the Welsh squad for the 2017 Six Nations following Sam Warburton's demotion. Following the campaign, Jones was selected for his third British and Irish Lions tour. 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.

In 2019 Jones captained Wales in their Grand Slam victory and was named Player of the Championship in a public vote organised by Guinness, the tournament's sponsor.[12] Following the game, he was referred to by Jonathan Davies and others as "the greatest ever" Welsh rugby player.[3][13]

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.[14]

On 24 October 2020 Jones equalled Richie McCaw's record for the most international appearances in world rugby, 148 caps, during Wales' 38-21 loss to France.[15]

On 31 October 2020 Jones became the most capped international player of all time when he earned cap 149 against Scotland.

Personal life

Jones and his wife, Dr. Anwen Jones, have two daughters.[16]

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.[17]

References
  1. "Alun Wyn Jones". Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
  2. Wyn is part of his given name and not his surname (which is simply Jones), despite usage by much of the media (possibly due to confusion with the surname Wynne-Jones).
  3. Greenwood, Will (16 March 2019). "Time to remember the name - Alun Wyn Jones could be Europe's greatest ever". The Daily Telegraph.
  4. Three Grand Slams
  5. Three Grand Slams
  6. "Wales 2010 Six Nations Squad". BBC News. 19 January 2010. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  7. Mockford, S. "Spotlight on Alun-Wyn Jones", Rugby World, May 2007
  8. "Ospreys baton passes to Alun-Wyn Jones | Live Rugby News | ESPN Scrum". Scrum.com. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
  9. Palmer, Bryn (3 July 2013). "Lions 2013: Alun Wyn Jones captain as Brian O'Driscoll omitted". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  10. Griffiths, John (17 July 2013). "Who was the last Scot to start a Test for Lions?". Ask John. ESPN Scrum. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  11. "Autumn international: Wales 24-20 Argentina". 12 November 2016 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  12. "WALES CAPTAIN ALUN WYN JONES CROWNED 2019 GUINNESS SIX NATIONS PLAYER OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP". sixnationsrugby.com. 22 March 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  13. Pritchard, Dafydd (22 March 2019). "Alun Wyn Jones: Wales' legendary leader & player of the 2019 Six Nations". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  14. Jones cap record
  15. 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.
  16. Sands, Katie (17 March 2019). "The beautiful pictures of Wales' players celebrating Grand Slam with their families". Wales Online. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  17. "No. 63135". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 October 2020. p. B13.
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