Jones was the captain of the British & Irish Lions for their 2021 tour to South Africa, and is one of only four players to have been selected to play on four Lions tours,[nb 1] in 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2021. He is one of seven Wales players to have won three Grand Slams.[nb 2] He was named the best player of the 2019 Six Nations Championship and was nominated for World Player of the Year in 2015 and 2019.
Early life
Jones was born in Swansea to Tim Jones, a solicitor, and Ann Jones, a secondary school teacher. Both Jones' father and grandfather had previously played rugby for Swansea.[7] Jones grew up in Mumbles, initially playing football before switching to rugby whilst at Oystermouth Primary School. For his secondary education, he attended Bishop Gore School and joined Bonymaen RFC at age 11. At 16, Jones joined Llandovery College on a partial scholarship.
Club career
Swansea and Ospreys
Jones played for Swansea RFC while in the Ospreys Academy. Jones made his Ospreys debut on 4 September 2005 in a 22–20 win over Leinster[8] and having made several appearances as a replacement, Jones made his first Ospreys start against Border Reivers later that month.[9]
After a disappointing first season in which Ospreys finished 6th in the 2005–06 Celtic League, Jones went on to win the 2006–07 Celtic League title, the first trophy of his career.
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.[11]
On 9 December 2016, Jones broke the Ospreys' record for the highest try scoring forward as he touched down for his 21st try.[12]
Toulon
On 7 July 2023, Jones would sign for French team Toulon as a cover during the 2023 Rugby World Cup held in France.[13][14] On 18 November, he would be made captain for the last match of his career in a Top14 match against Clermont. He received a standing ovation from the crowd.[15]
International career
Wales
Jones represented Wales at both under-18 and under-21 level, completing a Grand Slam at the 2005 under-21 Six Nations Championship.[16]
Jones made his senior Wales debut during the 2006 Summer Tests, starting at flanker as Wales lost to Argentina in successive games.[17] Jones would secure his first Wales win against the Pacific Islanders at the Millennium Stadium in the 2006 Autumn Internationals. Jones' first appearance at lock would occur in the following game, a victory over Canada, ahead of a permanent switch from then on.
Jones became first choice lock ahead of the 2007 Six Nations, appearing in all 5 games. Disappointing performances however saw Wales finish 5th in the standings, securing their only win of the tournament on the final day against England.[18] Jones scored his first Wales try during the 2007 Rugby World Cup warm-up matches, crossing the line in a 27–20 win over Argentina.[19] Jones was selected at lock in Wales opening 2007 Rugby World Cup pool game against Canada, scoring on his World Cup debut as Wales ran out unconvincing 42–17 victors.[20] Following defeat to Australia in Cardiff, Jones would score again against Japan at the Millennium Stadium in the third pool game, increasing their chances to qualify. Unfortunately, Wales would fall to defeat in the final game against Fiji, crashing out of the World Cup at the pool stage.[21]
Jones started in Wales' opening game of the 2008 Six Nations against England, achieving a first win at Twickenham in 20 years.[22] Jones would miss the following two games, victories over Scotland and Italy due to injury[23] before returning for the final games against Ireland and France. Wales would complete their second Grand Slam in four years, and a first for Jones.[24] Jones scored his first Six Nations try in the opening game of the 2009 championship against Scotland at Murrayfield.[25] In the penultimate game of the tournament against Italy, Jones was selected to captain Wales for the first time, becoming the 126th player to do so.[26]
On 18 January 2010, he was named in the 35-man Wales squad for the 2010 Six Nations tournament.[27] In the first game against England, Jones tripped hooker 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. Coach Warren Gatland later criticised Jones for the offence, saying it cost Wales the game.[28]
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.
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. He returned to play Argentina in which he won the man of the match award.[29] Jones took over from Sam Warburton as captain of the Welsh squad for the 2017 Six Nations.[30]
In 2019, Jones captained Wales in their Grand Slam victory and was named Player of the Championship in a public vote.[31] It was later established that Jones suffered knee ligament damage early in the Grand Slam decider against Ireland.[32][33] Following the game, he was referred to by Jonathan Davies and others as "the greatest ever" Welsh rugby player.[3][34]
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.[35]
On 24 October 2020, Jones equalled Richie McCaw's record for the most international appearances, 148 caps, during Wales' 38–21 loss to France.[36] A week later he set a new record, winning his 149th cap against Scotland.[37] On 19 March 2022 he lost his 150th cap, at home against Italy.[38]
On 19 May 2023, Jones announced his immediate retirement from international rugby along with fellow Welsh international Justin Tipuric.[39]
British and Irish Lions
In 2009, Jones was one of 13 Welsh players selected in the squad for the British & Irish Lions' tour to South Africa. Jones appeared in the provincial matches against Royal XV, when he scored his first Lions try, Golden Lions, and Sharks. Jones then started the first test alongside Paul O'Connell against South Africa, with the team losing 26–21 in Durban. Jones appeared as a replacement in the remaining two tests, a defeat and a win, as the series ended in a 2–1 defeat for the Lions. In total he played 24 games across 4 tours (including 12 tests) scoring 2 tries.
Jones received his second Lions selection on 30 April 2013, for the tour to Australia. Jones played and scored in a warm up game against the Barbarians before appearing in provincial games against Western Force, Combined Country and Waratahs. Jones started at Lock in the first test, playing a role in a 23–21 win, as well as in the second test defeat in Melbourne. Due to Sam Warburton's tour-ending injury in the second test, Jones was selected as captain for the deciding third test in Sydney,[40] 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.[41]
On 19 April 2017, Jones was again selected for the Lions ahead of their tour to New Zealand. Jones captained the Lions for the second time in the provincial game against the Crusaders as the Lions won 3–12. Jones was once again first choice Lock for the tour, starting at 4 in the first test and 5 in the second and third and left New Zealand as the first player in the professional era to play in nine consecutive British & Irish Lions tests.[42] 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.
On 6 May 2021, Jones was selected and named captain of the British and Irish Lions for their tour to South Africa.[43] He dislocated his shoulder in the warm-up match against Japan in Edinburgh on 26 June but returned to play in the successful first test win against the Springboks four weeks later. Jones played in all three tests to reach 12 British and Irish Lions caps. South Africa won the final test 19–16 and the series by two games to one.[44]
Barbarians
On 28 May 2023, Jones captained the Barbarians to a 48-42 victory over a World XV.[45] Three days later, Jones would then play for both the Barbarians and Swansea RFC, swapping teams at half-time, in a game at the St Helen's ground, celebrating Swansea's 150th anniversary.[46]
On 10 August 2023, it was announced that Jones would play again for the Barbarians, against Wales, on 4 November, at the Principality Stadium.[47] In the match, Jones captained the Barbarians, scored a try, and was named Man of the Match, despite his team losing 49-26 to Wales. In an on-field interview after the match, Jones thanked the crowd in the stadium for their support over his career, as well as mentioning fellow players retiring from international duty, including Justin Tipuric, Leigh Halfpenny, and the absent Dan Biggar.[48]
Note 1: Robert Seddon died on tour after a boating accident. Andrew Stoddart became captain for the remainder of the tour.
Note 2: Matthew Mullineux decided that after losing the first test that he should withdraw from further test matches, handing on field captaincy to Frank Stout, but remained tour captain. Note 3: David Bedell-Sivright was injured during the first test. Teddy Morgan took over captaincy on the field but Bedell-Sivright remained tour captain. Note 4: The team that John Raphael captained was not selected by the four Home Nations governing body, but had been organised by Oxford University and billed as the English Rugby Union team. However, it was considered the Combined British team by Argentina because it also included three Scots. Note 5: Jack Jones was captain for the first test, but Tommy Smyth remained the tour captain. Note 6: Bleddyn Williams captained in the third and fourth tests v New Zealand and the first test v Australia. Note 7: Cliff Morgan captained in the third test. Note 8: David Watkins captained in the second and foruth tests v New Zealand. Note 9: Michael Owen captained the Lions in the first tour game, the test vs. Argentina in Cardiff. Brian O'Driscoll was injured at the beginning of the first test against New Zealand. Gareth Thomas replaced him as tour captain. Note 10: Sam Warburton was injured in the second test. Alun Wyn Jones replaced him as captain for the third test. Note 11: Tour captain Sam Warburton was named on the bench for the first test. Peter O'Mahony was the captain on the field.
Note 12: Tour captain Alun Wyn Jones left the squad for 17 days due to an injury in the first warm-up match, and was replaced by Conor Murray temporarily.
