Alun Wyn Jones told to 'retire' by Bok centurion

Welsh great Alun Wyn Jones has been told he should retire by Springbok Rugby World Cup winner Tendai Mtawarira on Twitter.

Wales lost 55-23 to New Zealand in their international match at the Principality Stadium, with the 37-year-old Jones looking a few steps off the pace as the All Blacks ran riot on the Welsh capital.

The Welshman is the sport’s record Test cap holder with 154 Wales games to his name, not counting 12 Tests for the British & Irish Lions.

He won his 150th Wales cap in a shock Guinness Six Nations home defeat against Italy in March, being selected ahead of an in-form Will Rowlands.

Jones, who recently turned 37, made his Test debut 16 years ago. Yet despite the respect with which the Welsh icon is held, it didn’t stop Mtawarira from bluntly telling his former opponent that he might have outstayed his welcome as an athlete.

“Alun Wyn Jones about time to retire,” wrote Mtawarira. “…a good dancer knows when to leave the dance floor…I am sure there is a young Welsh lock waiting for his turn in that jersey.”

Alun Wyn Jones about time to retire…a good dancer knows when to leave the dance floor…I am sure there is a young Welsh lock waiting for his turn in that jersey 🇯🇪.

— Tendai Mtawarira (@Beast_TM) November 5, 2022

Maybe surprisingly, his post was met with near unanimous agreement. “This is Massive statement
Welsh Rugby. Hard to argue against it. Some new energy in the trenches will be an asset,” wrote one account.

This is Massive statement @WelshRugbyUnion. Hard to argue against it. Some new energy in the trenches will be an asset

— Sporting Around (@Sporting_Around) November 5, 2022

Another Welsh fan wrote: “Totally agree international rugby is to quick for him now. He’s a great player but needs to go”.

Totally agree international rugby is to quick for him now. He’s a great player but needs to go

— Gemma 🐉🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (@GemmaDurston) November 5, 2022

Jones has been written off in the past, only to defy critics with world-class performances. With so many miles on the clock however, Pivac may have a tough call to make ahead of the Rugby World Cup in France next year, unless Jones puts an official end date on his Test career.