Adam Jones Retires From International Rugby

[TRF_Cymro]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/30961855

Gutted. Absolute hero and an icon for me.

 

[Draggs]

Our most valuable player for a period; seemed like the difference between a win and a loss. Earned his rest, thanks hair bear!

 

[psychic duck]

His demise was unfortunate and sadly rapid over the past 12 or so months but his contribution to Wales' successes over the past decade should not be forgotten. Without him Wales would have struggled to win any of Gatland's 6N ***les. In a way his career went full circle, from being subbed off at 30 mins in his first year of international rugby (which his reputation struggled to recover from), to arguably the best scrummager in world rugby and playing 80 mins most games, to being subbed off at 30 mins in his final test.

I would still have him in the Wales squad, and dropping him for the likes of Rhodri Jones, Jarvis and Scott Andrews was rather embarrassing for him so I can understand why he quit.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

I would still have him in the Wales squad.

Oh ok that is good to know then.

On a more serious note, should have been involved in the Welsh squad. His experience at least to pass onto the likes of Lee and Jones etc would only benefit them. He hasn't been as dominant at the scrum under the new laws but he wasn't terrible or as bad as some here have made it to be. Deserved a 100 international Wales caps and the chance to do it with his daughter. Sadly won't ever happen. I see him finishing at the end of the season too.

 

[psychic duck]

I see him finishing at the end of the season too.

He will likely keep playing club rugby. He's had a horrible 12 months with his career, not just on the field where he has been a faded force (although nowhere near the extent as some make out as you pointed out), but off the field with his contract issues that left him lost last summer and training on his own. I think he's been hurt by Gatland picking some utter joke tightheads ahead of him, realised there's not much chance of another cap, and now is advertising himself across the domestic game as an experienced tighthead option in a season where many of the top players will be missing for considerable periods through RWC and 6 Nations.

 

[munstermuffin]

Dare I say at his peak 1 of the finest tight heads I've ever seen play the game. A huge player and without a doubt 1 of nicest men I've ever met off the field. A pure gent who was always down to earth.
Time caught up to him but he owes no one nothing. 1 of the best players Welsh rugby has ever produced.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

Was a really good player in his time, good luck Adam best wishes for the future.

 

[ruggabee]

He was a very good player.

 

[dullonien]

A little surprised by this news it has to be said. I was still expecting him to make the world cup squad tbh. He's been slowly improving for the Blues and I'd trust him ahead of Scott Andrews, Aaron Jarvis and possibly Rhodri Jones (he has improved though) in a big world cup match.

Adam has been the cornerstone of Welsh squads for a decade (Horseman the only one who briefly challenged him), when he wasn't playing I always feared the worst in the scrum. A true legend of the Welsh game.

I'm not quite sure what's happened in the past year and a half, went from being the dominant scrummaging tighthead in world rugby, to one that seemed to struggle almost overnight. The law change seemed to hit him hard, and I was a little surprised by that, as I was expecting the new laws to favor scrummaging technique, which he always appeared to have, instead of the prop who got his timing right. Maybe it's just been a coincidence, and time just caught up with him, or his uncertainty over his future, including the Ospreys not playing him for the last few months, followed to training on his own etc. caused him to struggle, and he's not caught back up yet. I don't really know, but it's a real pity, a world cup send-off would have been a great way to end a great career.

Regarding people's overreaction to his demise, I think it's purely a reflection of how good he still was not that long ago. He didn't turn into a rubbish scrummaging prop, but to see him struggle against those he was destroying shortly before was such a marked difference it was always going to be overblown.

 

[psychic duck]

A little surprised by this news it has to be said. I was still expecting him to make the world cup squad tbh. He's been slowly improving for the Blues and I'd trust him ahead of Scott Andrews, Aaron Jarvis and possibly Rhodri Jones (he has improved though) in a big world cup match.

Adam has been the cornerstone of Welsh squads for a decade (Horseman the only one who briefly challenged him), when he wasn't playing I always feared the worst in the scrum. A true legend of the Welsh game.

I'm not quite sure what's happened in the past year and a half, went from being the dominant scrummaging tighthead in world rugby, to one that seemed to struggle almost overnight. The law change seemed to hit him hard, and I was a little surprised by that, as I was expecting the new laws to favor scrummaging technique, which he always appeared to have, instead of the prop who got his timing right. Maybe it's just been a coincidence, and time just caught up with him, or his uncertainty over his future, including the Ospreys not playing him for the last few months, followed to training on his own etc. caused him to struggle, and he's not caught back up yet. I don't really know, but it's a real pity, a world cup send-off would have been a great way to end a great career.

Regarding people's overreaction to his demise, I think it's purely a reflection of how good he still was not that long ago. He didn't turn into a rubbish scrummaging prop, but to see him struggle against those he was destroying shortly before was such a marked difference it was always going to be overblown.

It was hardly a surprise. Selecting the ilk of Andrews ahead of him was too much to take. He was no longer the dominant force he was, but he was still a reasonably solid tighthead prop who never really got taken to the cleaners in the manner that Jarvis has been. What also has to be factored in was that Bevington was more exposed under the new laws, Gethin was getting singled out by referees last year, Hibbard was less effective as a scrummager, Adam was also ageing and got unfit again late last season. All of that combined into his demise, it was more than simply just the laws, which was part of it, but a number of things happened at once.

 

[Draggs]

For his faults over the past year, I'd much rather go into an RWC with him in our back pocket than any other reserve THP.
Seriously, do we want Samson Lee going down in the captains run, forcing Rhodri Jones to start and god knows onto the bench at Twickenham?

 

[Maverick1987]

The the way he's been treated by Gatland is horrendous . I really really hope it comes back to bite him in the arse tbh . Adam is the best TH of the last decade and a true gentleman .

 

[Draggs]

The the way he's been treated by Gatland is horrendous . I really really hope it comes back to bite him in the arse tbh . Adam is the best TH of the last decade and a true gentleman .

Well, to be fair he hasn't looked good this season. He the whole Ospreys debacle, and since then has struggled with Cardiff. It's only because of our weakness beyond Lee that he is an option. I like the bloke, but he really hasn't been good lately.

 

[Maverick1987]

Well, to be fair he hasn't looked good this season. He the whole Ospreys debacle, and since then has struggled with Cardiff. It's only because of our weakness beyond Lee that he is an option. I like the bloke, but he really hasn't been good lately.

Yep probably right but to just throw him on the trash heap after a difficult season bearing in mind most of it came around at least as far as contracts were concerned because the WRU and RRW were being complete bell ends . The biggest mistake he ever made was not packing his bags toToulon when they were chasing . He was too loyal to Wales and in the end it ****ed him

Re: being behind Samson Lee no doubt but he's still the second best TH prop in Wales so why isn't he at least in the squad ?

I mean Lee is only just back from injury and as far as I'm aware Rhodri Jones is injured too ? So if there ever a time you wanted a powerful prop with bags of experience it's probably now ......

Lee has a neck nerve injury . That's a pretty dodgy injury for a prob aswell to be fair ... Now Adam has retired what's gonna happen if Lee can't play against England ? You will probably have to start Jarvis and all I can say is the only people it would be good news for is England

 

[Thingimubob]

Ah bloody Gatland... It actually boggles the mind that Scott Andrews got into the squad ahead of Jones.
Andrew is pretty much fourth choice behind Jones, Filise and Mitchell... How is he meant to shore up our scrum? The guy hasn't even started a Pro 12 game this year!
I'm really dreading what might happen in the last 20mins or so if Lancaster has Corbisiero on the bench... His recent bench cameo's for Northampton have been pretty excellent, and him coming on vs a tired Lee/Jones or god forbid, Andrews, could be brutal.

 

[Jbobo]

Really sad, he is arguably the best TH Wales have ever produced and was the best scrummager in the world for a good 5 years. In a similar yet also completely different vein to Shane Williams, he made things happen Wales to such an extent it's scary thinking where we'd be without him as the rock of our pack. The fear when he was injured was huge. I agree with the sentiments that Gatland was too quick in giving up on him, especially so close to the world cup. He is our number 2 TH for sure and had much more to offer for another year or two.

 

[McTallshort]

A true great, I even got to cheer for him when he was wearing Lions colours.

 

[SelimNiai]

Shame to hear. The whole scenario over Jones over the last 18 months has been shoddily managed by everyone except the man himself who has been left in limbo over his club contact and now being overlooked over, and I don't like using the word, inferior players.

Now the positives, what a career he has had, been a huge part of our sucesses over the last 10+ years. Grand Slams, 3 World Cups, Lions Caps and achieved much domestically with the Ospreys too.

Just a shame he can't go out on his own terms, the man deserves that much.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Well, to be fair he hasn't looked good this season. He the whole Ospreys debacle, and since then has struggled with Cardiff. It's only because of our weakness beyond Lee that he is an option. I like the bloke, but he really hasn't been good lately.

Stats would suggest otherwise.

 

[Draggs]

Stats would suggest otherwise.

Which ones? I don't want to get into it, but he really hasn't been at his best this year, and is part of a struggling Cardiff pack.