Alun Wyn Jones Appreciation Thread (Contract Signed)

[mrzimmerman]

Been my favourite player for some time but this news makes him possible my all time favourite guy. TOP BLOKE. Someone that the Ospreys can build a team around!!!!!!!!!!!

Full story below.

Alun Wyn Jones has handed Welsh rugby a major boost on the eve of the Six Nations by signing a new deal with the Ospreys.

The second-row, who captained the Lions to victory in last summer's pivotal third Test against Australia, had been expected to join the exodus of world-class stars from Wales.

But the Ospreys today announced that their influential lock, who has won 74 caps for Wales, has signed a new three-year contract, which will keep him at the Liberty Stadium until after the next Rugby World Cup.

Jones, 28, revealed he had receive offers from other clubs, but said he felt the Ospreys represented the right environment for the next few years of his career.

Speaking about his decision to sign a new contract, Jones said: “I’m very happy to be able to resolve my future, which means I can now concentrate solely on my rugby.

"It’s flattering to have received offers from elsewhere, but at this point in my career my focus is on being in the right environment to ensure the longevity of both my domestic and international career.

“It’s important to me that I’m playing the right level of rugby to ensure I am at my best, which is why it makes sense for me to accept the offer on the table from the Ospreys.”

With Alun Wyn having signed up for his region not WRU, it will be fascinating to see what Warburton, Adam, Priestland and Scott Williams do.

— Simon Thomas (@simonrug) January 24, 2014


Andy Lloyd, rugby operations manager at the Ospreys, said Jones' decision to stay in Wales would be a "huge boost" to the region.

“Alun Wyn has been, and continues to be, a fantastic servant to this region and is a true role model to those around him.

"A natural leader, he demands the highest standards of himself and everybody in this environment, and it will be a better place with him around in the coming seasons.

“Given the uncertainty that still surrounds the game in Wales in general, we’ve given Alun Wyn reassurances regarding his future options, but it is fantastic news that he is staying at the Liberty Stadium.”

[ScarletSpiderman]

    

I am not a huge admirer of AWJ, however he needs and deserves, a huge pat on the back from everyone involved in regional rugby for not only staying in Wales, but also staying with his region and not the WRU. Lets hope his much vaunted leadership skills will help encourage the others to stick true to their routes too. Also you do pity whoever the first player is to pen the WRUs contract now, seeing as AWJ has set an example of someone turning it down (and staying, cos I guess tuppance turned it down too)>

[The Saint]

Couldn't agree more, however, no idea why he's so loyal. He's the only one trying half the time (the joke of a management team included).

[wayne]

Absolutely fantastic news for us Ospreys supporters and a real kick in the teeth for the Dodgers plans, luckily for us he is well qualified when his playing days are over, and obviously a well educated person. The comments that Gatland came out with after the Autumn series that some players minds weren't on these games, were obviously true. Lets hope with his immediate future reconciled, he will be back to his singing emotional best.

[GunsGerms]

    

I am not a huge admirer of AWJ, however he needs and deserves, a huge pat on the back from everyone involved in regional rugby for not only staying in Wales, but also staying with his region and not the WRU.  Lets hope his much vaunted leadership skills will help encourage the others to stick true to their routes too.  Also you do pity whoever the first player is to pen the WRUs contract now, seeing as AWJ has set an example of someone turning it down (and staying, cos I guess tuppance turned it down too)>

Why not an admirer? Im happy he is signed on. Keeps the Rabo strong.

[ScarletSpiderman]

Guns, bit of club rivalry to be honest. But also I know a few people who have had personal dealings with him, who say he was very blunt/abrasive towards them, and on the pitch as a captain I think he tends to be a bit whiney when dealing with the ref.

[GunsGerms]

I see. I get it, fair enough. I have always admired him myself.

[Scrumpy]

Good to see not all players are after big £££££££'s

Well done AWJ.

[glamorganalun]

Great honest player not like some other Welsh payers that use the club games just before internationals to prove their fitness to get more caps.

[Allty]

[quote="Scrumpy"]Good to see not all players are after big £££££££'s

Well done AWJ.[/quote]

But none of us know how much his new contract is worth

[Jhamer25]

I thinkhe has timed this as well. What do you think?

Kust seems weird that it has come a day after the Hapflenny move. Maye he wanted to give wlesh rugby a bit of a lift after a downer.

Anyway surprised if anything, with the news Hines was leaving for Sale and he was being linked to Clermont, I had it down as a deal waiting to happen.

Anyway, great captain (should be captain of Wales); bit of a kn0b imo but is a great player and has earned the respect of others. He must have the patients of a Saint with the Ospreys mind, thought he would have had enough after this season

[Allty]

Someone on another site said his dad was unwell.

[Guest]

Isn't he still doing his law degree too???

[Allty]

I think so but he could have qualified by now

[VinceWLB]

If some of you are against central contracts, don't complain to lose your best player.
Looking at how the Irish teams are keeping hold of POC, SOB, Heaslip... you would think some people would learn, it appears not.

[Guest]

Who's against central contracts? It's the way they go about it that everyone is worrying about. Just centrally contracting the 6-8 players out of contract at the end of the season is such a wishy washy, half-bake approach that only the WRU could come up with. It has to be the whole Wales squad or not at all in my opinion. Especially as, by all accounts, they'll use the regions' competition monies (or some of it) to fund these few central contracts. So the regions will be in exactly the same place, financially, but with less control over those few players.

[VinceWLB]

Well it's not like the regions currently have a lot of control over internationals anyway.

I don't think there is enough money to centrally contract the whole squad but lets say 8-10 players would be an improvement, North would still be in Wales for instance...

PS have seen a lot of negativity over central contracts on Facebook, gwlad...

[bedfordwelsh]

Playing devils advocate a bit here but as us mere mortals wont know ins and outs of his control do we actually know he has stayed through loyalty?

Maybe the Ospreys have broke the bank to keep one of if not their most valuable asset and bettered what he was offered elsewhere?

[Guest]

Well it's not like the regions currently have a lot of control over internationals anyway.

I don't think there is enough money to centrally contract the whole squad but lets say 8-10 players would be an improvement, North would still be in Wales for instance...

PS have seen a lot of negativity over central contracts on Facebook, gwlad...

But at least the regions own the internationals, in an employment sense. If the WRU centrally contract the 6 they say they want to then they could, at the drop of a hat, ship them all to the ospreys so that they can be our main force in Europe. So the original region (let's say Faletau and the Dragons) not only loser the player from the wage bill but also lose control and potentially lose the player altogether. And what would they get as a result? Less funding, because it's being used elsewhere to cover Faletau's contract. Dragons wouldn't have to worry about his wages but would be weakened and would have to buy another player in that position anyway from the reduced funding they're left with.

So for me it has to be the whole squad so that regions have a a chance of at least having some central contract players with them.

Ireland manage to centrally contract, either directly or indirectly, all pro players in Ireland. They centrally something like 20 of the Irish squad but then also pay something like £6m euros each to the top 3 provinces (less to Connacht) which they can up spend on wages. In return the union gets a cut of gate receipts, etc. Not saying it's the ideal model as I don't know enough about it, but it sure looks better than what we've got. We went down the franchise/provincial route, now we need to complete the final stage of the transformation from the club style system by ceding control to the union like the rest of the countries with a provincial system do (Ireland, NZ, Aus, SA - I think!). Or we'll be forever fighting and blaming when things go wrong.

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