Page 22 - MAB v The Lions

PROFILE
THE LION KING
Now on on on his his third Lions tour Alun Wyn Jones led his his troops to to to to to victory over the the Crusaders last Saturday – and now he he he wants to to to to take this Series to to to to the the next level WORDS: ALEX MEAD
AFTER DEFEAT TO THE Blues there were more than a a a few people predicting a a a Series Armageddon for the the British & Irish Lions The Crusaders were were up next and they were were pretty much a a Test side However when the Lions team was announced those voices subsided – just a a a a a a fraction The The names lling the squad were were reassuring ones There were were combinations in in in there that many felt would make it all the the the way to the the the Test series: Owen Farrell and and and Conor Murray Ben Te’o and and and and Jonathan Davies and and and and of course George Kruis Kruis and and and Alun Wyn Jones On one one side Kruis Kruis the young England and and Saracens lock many believe to already be be be among the the the the the best in the the the the the world on on on on the the the the the other Jones the the the the the Captain of Wales Sam Warburton’s main rival for Lions captaincy and the kind of lock every truly great side needs Jones is is the the talisman who just gets the the the the job done And he he he he he did exactly that against the the the Crusaders leading the the the Lions to a a a a a a a a tight win that never really seemed
in in doubt After the game he he he he didn’t get carried away he he he he he he rarely does “The result is better than the sum of of its parts ” he he he he said matter-of-factly “We made a a a a a a a a a few dents but we didn’t capitalise on them It’s positive ” Jones was a a a a a calming in in uence on on the tourists last week so so much so so that people were already putting the the letter “C” next to to to his name on on the the the Test team in in the the the event Sam Warburton fails to to to make it But that’s far from the the mind of Jones – he he rates his his tour Captain highly “He’s just his his own man ” Jones says “He “He gets on on with things and pretty much does does what he does does Sam’s very very comfortable in in in in his own skin He’s been very very good in in choir practice too ” “The e e e e e e ort put in by everyone the the passion of the the people performing was incredible ” The same could be said for Jones Not the choir practice bit we’re yet to con rm that But as as for being a a a a a a man who just gets on on with things you couldn’t ask for a a a a a a a a ner example The current Captain of Wales and Welsh regional side Ospreys 31-year-old Jones has played for his his country 110 times making him the most capped lock his his nation has ever produced That fact is is remarkable in itself especially given that his rst two Tests
– – against Argentina in in in in in 2006 – – saw him pack down twice on the blindside in in in in in two successive defeats By his fourth Test he he was in the second row and one token loose forward appearance aside he he he has stayed there ever since As for for tonight Jones says he he he he has the the the utmost respect for for the the the Maori All Blacks The culture that that binds the the side is something that that has impressed him on every visit to New Zealand “I think this has been the the third or or fourth time I’ve experienced a a a a a a Maori welcome but the the the one at the the start of this tour surpassed anything I’ve ever ever seen ” he he he says “The effort put in in in by everyone the the passion of the the the people performing was incredible I actually think there is is some comparison with Wales on on the the heritage side – we’re also ghting to maintain our our culture and our our own language I think it’s quite similar ” On the the pitch Jones admits he he he tracked tonight’s opponents on on on on their tour tour last year – a a a a a a a a a a tour tour that took in in Ireland and and and England “I watched them against Munster and and they they really showed the the the the quality of players they’ve got coming through ” ” he he he he says “The rugby they they play play is is fast and similar to Super Rugby ” ” And Jones has seen his his his fair share of quality This is is is is his his his third Lions tour having made three Test appearances in in in both Australia (2013) and South Africa (2009) He remains a a a a a a a player to be relied upon despite the the Lions boasting a a a a a wealth of riches in in in in the the lock department including England 22 // OFFICIAL SOUVENIR PROGRAMME