Six Nations: Wayne Pivac lauds ‘invaluable’ Alun Wyn Jones in Wales’ push for Grand Slam
The Wales coach has identified captain Jones as the reason why his side are so hard-working in this Six Nations
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Your support makes all the difference.Wales boss Wayne Pivac has hailed captain Alun Wyn Jones’ “invaluable” impact during the business end of the Six Nations.
Jones and company are two wins away from achieving a second Grand Slam in three seasons and can land that prize by beating Italy on Saturday and then France seven days later.
It would be an unprecedented fourth Six Nations clean sweep for Jones, taking him above former team-mates and fellow triple Grand Slam stars like Gethin Jenkins and Ryan Jones. And at the age of 35, there is little sign of Wales’ inspirational skipper slowing up.
“Alun Wyn has spoken a bit this week and last week,” Pivac said. “He has been in this situation so many times, so it’s invaluable the information he puts across to the younger guys who are probably experiencing it for the first time or haven’t done it that often.
“The senior players are invaluable, have experienced it and have the emotional support for the others around them that are experiencing this situation for the first time.
“Look, it’s exciting. When you get to the opportunity where you can do something special, you want to put in the hard work. That’s what Al has stressed. We work hard, keep our feet on the ground and worry about only one opposition, and that’s Italy. The minute you take your eye off the ball, performances suffer.”
Jones’ current contract with the Welsh Rugby Union and Ospreys expires at the end of this season. He will be 36 in September but is arguably playing as well as ever ahead of a possible fourth British and Irish Lions tour this summer, and having set a new world record of Test appearances for Wales and the Lions that currently stands at 155 games.
Pivac added: “The conversation Alun and I have had over a period of time is we are very comfortable having him in the environment. He is very comfortable in the environment.
“We just have a chat at the end of season as to what we are going to do the following season. We are very comfortable with that situation.
“You will see he is enjoying his rugby at the moment, he is enjoying his training and has got a smile on his face and a lot of banter away from the training field. He is enjoying life, and while he is enjoying life I think he will want to keep going. Certainly, he will keep getting selected when he is putting in the performances that he is.”
PA
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