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Welsh rugby icon Alun Wyn Jones has sensationally turned on senior Opsreys management in a no-holds-barred press conference at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea.
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The ex-Ospreys skipper is set to return to action against Saracens this weekend, but he was in no mood to sugarcoat the situation at the region, who are bottom of their PRO14 conference and their Heineken Champions Cup Pool.
The hapless side have won just one single game all season, a situation Jones described as ‘obviously disappointing’. Mike Ruddock took over as interim coach in December and could potentially coach the team until the end of the season.
“It comes to a point where you need to be honest,” said the lock, before saying he was proud of how the players fronted the media in the recent week, an attitude he says hasn’t been ‘replicated’ in other parts of the organisation.
“You could say that isn’t being replicated in other areas of our rugby entity at the minute. I’m saying that because I’ve been here longer than most.
? Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones has criticised the off-field management of Ospreys before his return to action for the team against Saracens. pic.twitter.com/4FXAlqAqoY
— BBC Sport Wales (@BBCSportWales) January 6, 2020
“There are guys who are doing everything they can, being questioned and answering those questions to the press and trying to do it on the pitch.
“There are probably other people who aren’t being held to account.
“It’s difficult to say, but that’s what I feel having watched and been involved with Ospreys for so long.
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“I’m not going to name names, but there were eyebrows raised about recruitment, and the squad that we had and the success that we probably had in the past has papered over the cracks.
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New Saracens CEO Edward Griffiths tells @chrisjonespress that the club want to set right their finances ahead of deadlinehttps://t.co/vFGj6rE42F
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 6, 2020
“We find ourselves where we are. There are a series of decisions and actions that probably haven’t supported the rugby side of the business.”
‘AWJ’ – who has made 238 appearances for Ospreys, a club record – says his teammates continue to give 100 per cent, no matter what others might think.
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The board of directors voted unanimously.
Nice touch from @ExeterChiefs https://t.co/nhcro1aaFC
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 6, 2020
“This is a clear message from someone who has been involved and had to watch a difficult period in Ospreys rugby, the players are still giving 100%.
“I know we are not where people would like and have been in the past but the players we have are still conscious of what we represent and the effort required.”
The secondrow was nominated for World Rugby Player of the Year in 2015 and this year was nominated for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.
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