Former Wales skipper and all time caps record holder Alun Wyn Jones has warned his former teammates of the danger of assuming a narrative that could hold the team back.
On Saturday Australia’s 36-28 win over the Welsh in Melbourne secured a 2-0 series victory, extending Wales’ winless streak since last year’s World Cup. This marks their 15th defeat in 21 Tests since Gatland’s return, bringing them close to their record run of 10 losses in 2002-2003.
Gatland has said that Wales must “learn some tough lessons” after their ninth consecutive Test defeat. Despite the latest loss, Gatland believes in a bright future for the team as they prepare for the 2027 World Cup.
Alun Wyn Jones about the B&I Lions’ failure to get tempo into the game
Alun Wyn Jones about the B&I Lions’ failure to get tempo into the game
Indeed Gatland has repeatedly returned to the idea that his young Wales side are in a ‘learning’ process’ and has asked for the public’s patience with the team. For the most part, leeway has been granted to Gatland, undisputably the nation’s greatest national coach.
Now, over a year and half into Gatland’s reign, his former captain Alun Wyn Jones has warned that the narrative can only take them so far and could in fact impede their development.
Australia
Wales
“It’s interesting,” Jones told Sky Sports. “In the grand scheme, what’s more important – the missed opportunities or the gifted tries?
“That’s one thing. There will come a point when the learning stops. Don’t get me wrong, I believe you learn every day.
“But there’ll come a point where they will be experienced enough, they will already be pros. There comes a point where they’re just here to win. Otherwise we assume and develop narrative that holds them back as players. We’ve got to be really careful of that.
“What I remember is we went through a bit of pain, back in the day. And you can have times with piggyback penalties because the harder you try, the more penalties you give away and it’s a vicious circle.
“Then, all of a sudden, the penny drops and you’re away to the races. You’ll still get penalised and give away penalties but there are those phases you go through.
“We just need to make sure that speeds up and the narrative doesn’t hold us back because we’re learning all the time.”
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