Tomorrow is likely to be the day that Maro Itoje locks down his position as captain of the 2021 British and Irish Lions, according to Stuart Barnes.
In his latest column for The Times, entitled: 'Maro Itoje can dominate fading Alun Wyn Jones to seal the British & Irish Lions captaincy', Barnes also brands the Wales skipper a 'diminishing' force.
The two locks, who joined forces to great effect on the 2017 British and Irish Lions tour and are now contenders to wear the captain's armband in in South Africa next year.
They are on opposite sides tomorrow, with Itoje's England firing on all cylinders and Jones' Wales stuttering along.
"Rugby historians may look back to November 28, 2020, this most hollow of sporting years, and say: “Yes, that was the day.” The day that Warren Gatland — watching his old team from a distance — inked in the name Maro Itoje as his British & Irish Lions captain for the (fingers crossed) 2021 tour to South Africa," wrote Barnes in his Times column.
"Tomorrow Itoje, 26, takes on the illustrious Alun Wyn Jones, 35, the captain of Wales, seemingly a setting sun.
"I cannot remember so few mentions of Jones in commentary when watching Wales; I cannot remember seeing those grand slam-winning choke tackles in tandem with Justin Tipuric, one after the other.
"His carrying game is next to non-existent and the Welsh lineout has been a fundamental weakness of their side.
"Jones’s great days are diminishing. He is mortal, after all."
It's not the first time Barnes has questioned Jones.
After Wales' 33-30 defeat to England in the Six Nations, he branded the lock an ageing rugby player whose hair was 'thinning a little'.
