Stephen Jones retires this year....unfortunately that's the player and not the columnist

We'll Stephen Jones has decided to hang up his wellies at the end of this season. Enjoy retirement Stephen and thank you:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/21617435


It took him a while to win over the doubters but I think it's fair to say he was world class and certainly deserving of the 104 Wales caps and 6 Lions caps he earned. In fact who knows Gatland may invite him for one last tour???

Good luck to him,always been a fan.

i was never a doubter, total professional. undervalued by welsh supporters more than supporters from other countries.

if you 'rink and dink ' as a 10 for wales you're classed as a true 10 , even if the rest of your game is cr*p !!!!!!!!!!!

although there is more support now for the more controlled performance thats needed in the MODERN 10's game.............by those who REALLY understand the game !!!!!

good luck to him, coaching ?

Good luck to him, he did an admirable job for Wales. Apparently he is a very promising coach.

I cant deny I am not as upset as when Cliff, Barry or Phill retired, or when Jonathan Davies or Dai Watkins went north to league, it is more like when Jenks did.

I honestly believe that he was horrendously undervalued his whole career.

It's been said before, but being a 10 in Wales is a curse because unless you have the sparkle of a Bennett or John, there will always be a long line of people to profess that you're a disappointment.

He was an absolute professional with a very rounded skillset indeed - particularly a great range of flat passes that he was given insufficient credit for. He knew his weaknesses and really could get a backline moving. Completely unshowy and technically good at everything.

As I said on the Club version of this thread - a quality rugby player and seemed to be a decent bloke. Should become a cracking coach.

Plus I agree 100% with GC above.

He was a great servant for Wales in his time. Just like George Carlin says above. He all ways seemed to be undervalued by Wales mainly.

But Now he as decided to retire from playing rugby to coaching rugby ( goal kicking) lets hope Wasp can benifit from his experence.

He's done a great job fpr Wasps. I will always remember how much flack he got towards the end of his international career with absolutely no justification. Great career and hopefully a great future in coaching.

He can be thankful on the one hand that his international career didn't drag on too long like ROG to the extent that you forgot what made him someone to be remembered. He can be miffed that given the injuries and form of players who have filled the 10 position since his departure were more erratic than a drunken urination in a public toilet his departure seemed premature. If Hook can be still sniffing around the squad - as what position I couldn't tell you - Stephen Jones had every right to as well.

Unlike his journalistic namesake, Jones was a top-class player and a top-class guy. The other one is a top-class plonker and should be led out to greener pastures, fed his favourite meal, and unceremoniously shot. I'm kidding of course. He should be given his favourite meal but shot before he can get a chance to eat it.

100% agree kia, a world between him and hook, especially what goes on in the top 2 inches.

maes, like many ,will always feel strongly about the old greats, and rightly so, but the whole dynamics of the game and the individual roles on the field has changed so much.

pity the game wasn't so simple in construction now, but it is what it is as they say ,and we have to be realistic.

jiffy always says its a simple game, I would say
there are more jobs available if you make it more complicated ..............

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWiCN2ukC88&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Model pro. Farewell SJ.

Strange, I always though he was really worse than average, no pace, can't kick any distance out of hand, no running threat and avoids drop goals. Not sure about his part in the Ruddock business. His strengths were tackling (not in open), passing and goal kicking hence a limited player in my opinion.

Wish him luck in retirement, I hope he does not do a too good a job at Wasps.

Here's my response to one of the virtual pub comments on SJ...

Cari wrote: Hey All

Someone in work told me Wellies announced his retirement earlier and go a coaching job at Wasps. He's been a great servant for the Scarlets and Wales. Chuffed for him.

Hi Cari. It has been known amongst Wasps fans for a few weeks that Jones fancied joining our coaching staff. Him and Shug have really brought some of our youngsters on in terms of positioning, both in attack and defence.
------------------

Given the problems Wasps had last year in having to field a lot of youngsters, SJ has been a rock for some of those lads this season. We are lucky to have his vast experience.

I think its taken me anyway a long time to realize just what a top player he was. Its the old saying, you never know what you had until its gone, and i think its very fitting in Jones' case.

Top class player, nothing flashy just did the basics right and that's what made him a truly world class performer. He was outstanding during the 09 lions and will be missed in the game.

glamorganalun wrote:Strange, I always though he was really worse than average, no pace, can't kick any distance out of hand, no running threat and avoids drop goals. Not sure about his part in the Ruddock business. His strengths were tackling (not in open), passing and goal kicking hence a limited player in my opinion.

Wish him luck in retirement, I hope he does not do a too good a job at Wasps.

Alun
I probably agree with most of what you say on this board. But with this you are way off the mark.

He appeared slow, and certainly lost his pace from 29 onwards, he had an awkward "shoulders hunched up" running style, not gazelle graceful like Henson, and he didnt take undue risks like "run Hooky run" but if you look at the Welsh performance stats he was as quick as most welsh backs in his prime. He was as much an attacking player as the Hooks/Hensons you only had to look at the Scarlets and Wales performances with him in the pivotable role to see that All you have to look at is Jones spurt past the French backs http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/21617435 (not some slow lumbering forwards by the way) to judge his speed when he wanted to run. As far as the drop goal your comments are based on a few moments during the last WC not really something to assess his career on, I would say he would look for the FIVE points instead of the THREE thats attack minded if ever it was. The unfortunately thing about Jones is that he was around during the "Cool Britania" " red cowboy hats" "big arms short sleeves" era, Wales needed a Posh and Becks type player hence the Gavs, Hookys, etc always caught the eye, unfortunately the "Count" was the opposite. But if you go outside the "offside ref" welsh so called fair weather fans, to the likes of:

Graham Henry (when he selected Iestyn Harris as 10 and moved Jones to I/C) "Stephen has all the skillset to be a world class 12 or 10"
Dan Cater (when the Lions played NZ) "I based my game on the best 10 in Northern Europe"
Philippe Saint-Andre (on Jones award of French player of the year mainly based on his attacking style for CA) "he would grace any French side including the national team"

Then you can appreciate that Jones has been the closest thing to a "world class Welsh 10" since Jonathan Davies

Well done Stephen here's to your coaching years

Do anything long enough in this world and you get called world-class, one of the greats, etc. Look at Status Quo.

Neil Jenkins and SJ both accumulated a vast amount of caps, but were always average 10s in my view. The highlight of SJ's career was the 2005 GS match versus France and he was very good in the 2003 world cup matches against England and the ABs (so was Ceri Sweeney!). After the 2008 Lions he lost pace and became very predictable.

World class? Shane was world-class, Alfie also. Adam Jones still is. Mike Phillips was once, likewise Gethin and Lee Byrne. There was a time when Jamie Roberts would have made a world 22 also.

Good luck to SJ who is a great bloke by all accounts. But I don't think he will be missed like all the above. Dan Biggar is a more complete player in the same mould. As for comparing with JD1, that's like comparing Status Quo with the Zeppelin.

samuraidragon wrote:Do anything long enough in this world and you get called world-class, one of the greats, etc. Look at Status Quo.

Neil Jenkins and SJ both accumulated a vast amount of caps, but were always average 10s in my view. The highlight of SJ's career was the 2005 GS match versus France and he was very good in the 2003 world cup matches against England and the ABs (so was Ceri Sweeney!). After the 2008 Lions he lost pace and became very predictable.

World class? Shane was world-class, Alfie also. Adam Jones still is. Mike Phillips was once, likewise Gethin and Lee Byrne. There was a time when Jamie Roberts would have made a world 22 also.

Good luck to SJ who is a great bloke by all accounts. But I don't think he will be missed like all the above. Dan Biggar is a more complete player in the same mould. As for comparing with JD1, that's like comparing Status Quo with the Zeppelin.

Well said.

Consummate pro and, as people have said, a genuinely nice fella. Welsh rugby could have done with more like him over the past decade.

Touched world class levels of performance during the mid 'noughties' during his stint with Clermont Auvergne Montferrand - or whatever they were called at the time (the French press voted him best 10 in their league) - and in the 2005 Slam.

Lucky to win as many caps as he did? For an outside half who couldn't run fast or kick the ball very far, probably. But it wasn't for lack of hard work and effort on the training field - and that should be applauded.

A great 'servant' to Welsh rugby, whatever that actually means, and I hope he enjoys success in his post-playing days.

From an England perspective, I'd never quite say world class, but certainly a very good international player and as others have already said a consumate pro. Not the sort of player whose appearance on the teamsheet terrified opposing fans, but one that you knew was very unlikely to be the guy making a match-losing mistake either. The comparison with Henson or Hook is that while Jones would just run the game plan and would rarely have the moment of genius that split the opposing defence, he'd also not throw some horrible interception or mis-place a chip kick straight to a dangerous opponent.

His curse was to be a solid and dependable no 10 playing for Wales, where so many supporters (and some in the media) still see the ghosts of Barry John and Phil Bennett in that jersey. The game has changed, and it has changed in a direction that makes Jones-type 10s more valuable.

Also, always seemed like a decent guy who just gone on with playing the game. Should make an excellent coach.

When Johhny Wilkinson drifted away from the international scene, there really hasn't been a stand-out flyhalf. Plenty of choices but players like Sexton or Farrell are still very much works in progress and players like ROG and Johhny are international relics of the past irregardless of their club form.

Obviously he wasn't world class in the likes of Carter or Wilkinson but then again very few are. But for a good while he was one of the leading flyhalves of Europe and avoided the media spotlight unlike some of his more talented team mates.

Taylorman put a thread up a while back on the controlling influence of a flyhalf on the game. Jones may not have had the flair of other players but you could rely on him to do the basics well and depend on him for his defence. So long as other players around him like Williams were providing the flair, sometimes that's all you need. To label him slow, plodding and below average is to describe all of the flyhalves since the international demise of Johhny below average as well. Which is obviously not the case.

To be fair he had one hell of a career at club and international (and Lions) level.

No matter who it was that was thrown in his path as the next messiah Stevo managed to raise to the challenge and retain his shirt. For Wales he send Iestyn Thomas, Gavin Henson, James Hook, Nicky Robinson, Ceri Sweeney and Dan Biggar packing when they were after his shirt. And even for the Lions he was first choice fly half even when there were the likes of O'Gara and Wilkinson in contention for the shirt. And all of that whilst he was constantly being slated by the Welsh public and the Welsh Press, especially the Western Mail (seems they can't appreciate something until it is too late).

Add to that the fact he only picked up one yellow card in his long career, and that was an arguable 'tip tackle' right when refs were going of the top on it (post RWC, Versus the Ospreys at the Library). I honetly doubt I will see another fly half of his quality in my life time.

One of my faveourite Stevo moments was against the Dragons at Stradey. They had a drop 22 which was kick straight to Stevo right on the far touchline, he took a drop goal attempt, which missed. The next drop 22 went to him again, and another wide attempt with a drop goal. The third drop 22 went to him again, and with a huge grin on his face he took a third drop goal attempt. He was practically wetting himself whent eh next drop out went straight to him, and then he spread the ball to the back instead.

kiakahaaotearoa wrote: To label him slow, plodding and below average is to describe all of the flyhalves since the international demise of Johhny below average as well. Which is obviously not the case.

It is the case, actually. In the NH, that is. Why else would Johnny still be in contention for the Lions and ROG still turning out for Ireland? Sexton should not be a work in progress - he's 27! We have some quality wings and 15s but at halfback the cupboard has been bare for years.

Australia have guys like Quade Cooper, Beale and O'Connor at 10, which is one of the reasons they get to turn over the ABs from time to time. The Argies have had a couple of top 10s, and then there's Carter who has bucketloads of flair and guile when he chooses to deploy it, and let's not forget Crudden. The game has changed , but it makes these guys more valuable, not less.

flyhalffactory wrote:

glamorganalun wrote:Strange, I always though he was really worse than average, no pace, can't kick any distance out of hand, no running threat and avoids drop goals. Not sure about his part in the Ruddock business. His strengths were tackling (not in open), passing and goal kicking hence a limited player in my opinion.

Wish him luck in retirement, I hope he does not do a too good a job at Wasps.

Alun
I probably agree with most of what you say on this board. But with this you are way off the mark.

He appeared slow, and certainly lost his pace from 29 onwards, he had an awkward "shoulders hunched up" running style, not gazelle graceful like Henson, and he didnt take undue risks like "run Hooky run" but if you look at the Welsh performance stats he was as quick as most welsh backs in his prime. He was as much an attacking player as the Hooks/Hensons you only had to look at the Scarlets and Wales performances with him in the pivotable role to see that All you have to look at is Jones spurt past the French backs http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/21617435 (not some slow lumbering forwards by the way) to judge his speed when he wanted to run. As far as the drop goal your comments are based on a few moments during the last WC not really something to assess his career on, I would say he would look for the FIVE points instead of the THREE thats attack minded if ever it was. The unfortunately thing about Jones is that he was around during the "Cool Britania" " red cowboy hats" "big arms short sleeves" era, Wales needed a Posh and Becks type player hence the Gavs, Hookys, etc always caught the eye, unfortunately the "Count" was the opposite. But if you go outside the "offside ref" welsh so called fair weather fans, to the likes of:

Graham Henry (when he selected Iestyn Harris as 10 and moved Jones to I/C) "Stephen has all the skillset to be a world class 12 or 10"
Dan Cater (when the Lions played NZ) "I based my game on the best 10 in Northern Europe"
Philippe Saint-Andre (on Jones award of French player of the year mainly based on his attacking style for CA) "he would grace any French side including the national team"

Then you can appreciate that Jones has been the closest thing to a "world class Welsh 10" since Jonathan Davies

Well done Stephen here's to your coaching years

Hi Fly looking forward to the game, I won't be coming up but my daughter and her friend will be there.

I don't think anything I said about S Jones strengths and weaknesses are off the mark, Scarletspiderman confirmed he was rubbish at drop goals (above, I was at that game), if you look at the stats he scored very few try's and when he did he tripped over the line. As a person he came over a nice lad, I remember the lions tour DVD (I have) where he and Andy Powell gave a message to the troops in Iraq, Steve wished them luck and llook after themselves, Andy's message was get stuck into them or words to that effeect, Steve fell about laughing.

Shame you weren't coming up Alun mate, but I am certain your daughter and friend will have a great time.

On reflection I would have to admit he wasnt a great artist at the drop goal, but that breakaway against the quick french backs surely confirmed he could make a break if he chose (if that was Hook or Henson it would be waxed lyrical for centuries to come), its just he rather distribute and support rather that run and maybe lose the ball.

But thats what a forum board is all about peoples views from their eyes.

Take care fellar

Isnt the columnist going to retire after Wales beat New Zealand?

glamorganalun - I don't know many players who would have scored the drop goal attempts that I was on about, they were right from the rjght hand touchline, and about 40 yards out.

Jones was inconsisent and often poor before he went to France, on his return he became the lynchpin of the Welsh backline and even made a full length break v Farnce in 2005! Solid, good distributor, excellent little step inside the 10 channel and a pretty good kicker. In the JD category no, World Class....not quite. Brilliant for Wales, undoubtedly.