Who is Alun Wyn Jones: Ten things you should know about the Wales lock

Sarah Rendell

Find out about his various record-breaking rugby feats

Who is Alun Wyn Jones: Ten things you should know about the Wales lock

Wales and Ospreys star Alun Wyn Jones is a record-breaking player who has excelled on the international stage for 15 years.

Jones made his debut for Wales against Argentina in 2006 and is the most-capped Test player in rugby history. Here are a few more facts and stats about the second-row named captain of the 2021 British & Irish Lions tour of South Africa.

Ten things you should know about Alun Wyn Jones

1. Alun Wyn Jones has a law degree from Swansea University and he graduated in 2010.

2. Jones has played for the Ospreys since 2005 and in November 2018 made his 233rd appearance for the region, overtaking Paul James’s record.

3. Jones received an OBE in the Queen’s 2020 Birthday Honours for his services to rugby union football in Wales.

How old is Alun Wyn Jones?

4. Jones was born 19 September 1985 in Swansea. He is a towering 6ft 6in and weighs 19st 3lb (122kg).

5. He married Dr Anwen Rees, who is a doctor of physiology, in 2014 and the couple have two daughters together, Mali and Efa.

 

6. On 31 October 2020, when playing against Scotland in the Six Nations, Jones, became the most-capped international player of all time. He overtook former New Zealand captain Richie McCaw’s record of 148 Tests.

Unfortunately, none of his family could be in the stadium to witness him set a new world record because spectators were not permitted due to Covid-19 restrictions.

7. He was a part of Wales’ Six Nations Grand Slam wins in 2008, 2012 and 2019 as well as their 2013 championship title. He has also played in four World Cups – 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019.

MORE ON ALUN WYN JONES

8. His name has caused much confusion over the years, somtimes Wyn Jones being listed as his surname and other times Alun-Wyn being hyphenated. Jones is his surname, with Alun Wyn his first names – with no hyphen!

9. Jones was first picked for the British & Irish Lions in 2009 for their tour of South Africa and has since been part of the 2013 and 2017 squads in Australia and New Zealand respectively.

He is the first player in the professional era to have played in nine consecutive Tests for the Lions having been involved in all three series.

In May 2021, he was announced as captain of the Lions tour to South Africa.

10. He won Wales’ Sports Personality of the Year Award in 2019 after leading his country to a Six Nations Grand Slam win. The same year he was nominated for the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year but was beaten by English cricketer Ben Stokes.

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