One final chance for AWJ to take out ABs

PETER JACKSON

THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW

Alun Wyn Jones will take his last scheduled crack at the All Blacks on Saturday from the exact place where he took his first, in a seat on the halfway line.

After 16 years, he will finish where he started, among the supporting cast for a fixture which has produced the same winner over the last seven decades. It’s fair to say that Jones has the law of averages on his side as well as a collective self-belief stimulated noticeably by Rhys Priestland and Louis Rees-Zammit.

The increasing frequency of the fixture – this will be the 20th in the last 20 years, more than throughout the entire 20th century – has made no difference to the outcome. The more often they play it, the more Wales lose. When the 20-year-old Jones first lined up against New Zealand, Wales hadn’t beaten them in 18 attempts over 53 years, figures which, in keeping with these inflationary times, have risen to 32 in 69.

For Jones nothing has changed except the names of the second rows whom he will be covering, from Ian Gough and Ian Evans in 2006 to Will Rowlands and Adam Beard this weekend with enough locks in between to start a security business.

Sixteen more can be added to the aforementioned quartet: Rob Sidoli, Michael Owen, Brent Cockbain, Deiniol Jones, Bradley Davies, Jonathan Thomas, Ryan Jones, Luke Charteris, Lou Reed, Andrew Coombs, Jake Ball, Dominic Day, Cory Hill, Seb Davies, Rory Thornton and Ben Carter.

Jones has seen them all come and, in most cases, go. Nobody can have given as many gallons of blood, sweat and tears against one opponent in a perennially losing cause than Jones has given down the years against New Zealand.

He does hold one Test decision over them in a red jersey, as worn during the drawn Lions series of 2017 in a pack reinforced by an English trio (Mako Vunipola, Jamie George, Maro Itoje) and an Irish duo (Tadhg Furlong, Sean O’Brien).

Jones deserves credit for perseverance on a scale without parallel but even he would concede that times have changed. For so long the most automatic of choices, he has to make do now with a place on the bench as the next best second row, a status made possible by a stark paucity of younger challengers.

During his yeoman service for Wales, Jones has beaten them all bar New Zealand. He’s been trying for so long that when he first lined up against them, backs coach Stephen Jones was calling the shots from fly-half.

The newcomer from Swansea could console himself with the thought that there would be another opportunity next year and the year after that. For Jones, there will be no more tomorrows after Saturday, unless Wales, and the All Blacks, can negotiate their separate ways into the last four of the World Cup.

Those resigned to the result next weekend being the same as for every Test between the countries since 1953 may find hope for dreaming otherwise from one psychological difference. Whatever they may say to the contrary, New Zealand are still recovering from the shattering effects of what Ireland did to them last summer.

By showing the world that they are every bit as beatable as the rest, the Irish tore the All Blacks’ aura of superiority to shreds. While not in Ireland’s class, Wales should take their cue from what happened last July as evidence that New Zealand are not the irresistible force they used to be.

How Jones would love to be a part of that, even if only a bit-part. He will be ready for any emergency from the first minute onward, grateful for the opportunity to show that he can still mix it with the best, that he is not simply clinging on to the distant hope of a fifth World Cup next year at the age of 38.

Battling on: Alun Wyn Jones

PICTURES: Getty Images