Sam Warburton gives view on Wales training punch-up

In the build-up to Wales hosting Ireland in their Six Nations opener, it was reported that Welsh skipper Alun Wyn Jones had a training ground dust-up with fellow lock Jake Ball.

Talking about the reports on the BBC coverage before the match, former Wales captain Sam Warburton said: “Boys are just desperate to play for their country. Particularly on the Tuesday session – you pick the team on a Tuesday, you pick a team of 15 and there’s 36 of you in a squad – there’s a lot of guys there that are pretty annoyed that they’re not playing. So sometimes emotions spill over.

“I said that there’s normally a bit of a dust up every campaign… To which Martin (Johnson, fellow pundit) burst out laughing at that because in his day they were a bit more frequent!

Pundit: Sam Warburton (Getty Images)

“But it happens – boys are emotional and they want to play for their country.”

Ball is not included in the match-day 23-man for the Ireland Test. Adam Beard is the other starting lock, with Will Rowlands named on the bench.

Talking in the week leading to up the game, world-record cap holder Jones – who has had an extended spell on the sidelines with injury – said: “I had a good recovery and touch wood it has been pretty seamless in terms of its progression and the staged return. I’ve been fortunate enough to get the nod for the game on Sunday. I have been a bit frustrated, really, because it was a similar period for me post-World Cup in 2019.

“I am relishing the chance to get back into it properly.”