Alun Wyn Jones doesn’t deserve a place on next summer’s Lions tour of South Africa in the view of one of his former international second row rivals.
Ex-Scotland star Jim Hamilton feels there are four locks in better form than the Wales skipper who has just become the most-capped player in rugby history.
It would be a fourth Lions tour for the 35-year-old Jones, who has played in nine consecutive Tests for them going back to 2009.
But pundit Hamilton believes Maro Itoje, James Ryan, Scott Cummings and Jonny Hill all merit selection ahead of him.
Speaking on the latest episode of The Rugby Pod, he said: “So Alun Wyn Jones, 149 caps, what is the thinking in Wales now, what is the thinking around the Lions?
“Is Alun Wyn Jones going to go on the Lions tour because he is Alun Wyn Jones or is Alun Wyn Jones going to go on the Lions tour because he is the best of four second rows?
“A lot of people say he is going to go on the Lions tour. In my opinion, he is not in the best four second rows.
“I’d say Jonny Hill is playing better than him. Scott Cummings from Scotland. Across the board in terms of where we stand now is Alun Wyn Jones in the top four second rows?
“Maro. James Ryan for Ireland: now he is not in the form he was, but in my opinion he is still playing better than Alun Wyn Jones.
“And what is better? It’s carrying the ball, it’s defensively, it’s lineout.
“There is no doubt about it, Alun Wyn Jones is still a fantastic player, he absolutely is, but I have named four second rows there, Maro Itoje, James Ryan, Jonny Hill and Scott Cummings. Is Alun Wyn Jones the fifth or sixth? This is up for debate.
“I know Alun Wyn Jones, you listen to him speak it’s not about amassing 150, 160 whatever caps he can potentially get to, but Wales are in transition.
“I’m not saying now is the time, it could be next year, but at what point do they say Alun Wyn Jones is going to need to make way because there needs to be an evolution for Wales and there needs to be a change of guard?
“Maybe it’s me because as a player there was no loyalty towards me… why is Alun Wyn Jones allowed to go on the Lions tour? Because he has been a phenomenal player. But if Alun Wyn Jones goes on the Lions tour he’s taking the place of a Scott Cummings or a Jonny Hill or someone who has never been on a Lions tour, or a Jonny Gray. It might be their only opportunity to go.”
The 63-cap Hamilton added: “It comes down to taking the best (form) players. Warren Gatland speaks about winners - Wales are fifth. I don’t want to be horrible, but they are not the team they were for whatever reason.
“It comes down to the romance side of it. Does Jonny Hill expect to go on the Lions? No, he doesn’t. He wants to go but does he expect to go? No. Does he think Alun Wyn Jones will go in front of him? Of course he does, he is Alun Wyn Jones.
“I’m talking about the simple facts of ability and wanting to win games. If you put Jonny Hill into the team ahead of Alun Wyn Jones, are they [the Lions] going to beat South Africa? I don’t know because Alun Wyn Jones plays a certain style that arguably would be good against South Africa.
“But I’m just talking about the romance of the game and the loyalties that lie with some players that don’t lie with others. Maybe there is a part of me that I feel burnt by that situation.”
