It has got to be one of the most shocking selection omissions ever made – Adam Jones is not in Wales squad for the Six Nations tournament!
The 33-year-old prop has decided to retire from international rugby union after he was left out of the 34-man training squad for the 2015 competition.
Seemingly coach Warren Gatland may have hinted that the Cardiff Blues tighthead was on ‘stand-by’ but Jones retorted that: “I feel like I am more than injury cover.”
Too right mate – Jones is simply irreplaceable.
Never mind the 95 Welsh caps and five Tests for the British & Irish Lions, just who on earth is going to be able to pull off that beard and mane combination for the principality now?
It was bad enough when the ‘Hair Bears’ were split up when Duncan Jones finished his international playing days back in 2009.
So what next for Wales?
Samson Lee shows signs of promise in the beard department, but he will never grow his hair long by persistently wearing a scrum cap, Aaron Jarvis is far too ready to turn to the No1 setting on the barber’s clippers to stake any claim as a replacement and, while Scott Andrews has impressed in the facial hair department, his widow’s peak suggests it could be a huge follicle challenge to match the example set by one Adam Rhys Jones.
To be honest, Jones’ absence will detract from my enjoyment of this year’s tournament and, what with Sebastien Chabal long gone, I will be backing Italy all the way as at least Martin Castrogiovanni – a man who is not truly hirsute but also multilingual to the extent that he can seriously curse in at least two European tongues – is still in the Azzurri squad.
