Former Wales and British and Irish Lions captain Alun Wyn Jones says that he always wanted to play in the Top 14, and when the opportunity arose with Toulon, he “couldn’t turn it down”.
The 37-year-old is gearing up for his maiden Top 14 season with the club after signing as Rugby World Cup cover.
Jones announced his retirement from international rugby in May, bringing the curtain down on a magnificent career that included a record 170 Test caps, including 12 for the British and Irish Lions.
An offer Alun Wyn Jones could not refuse
His retirement ruled him out of the World Cup and opened the door for the opportunity at Toulon, a chance he could not refuse.
“When I made the decision to retire from international rugby, I had time to reflect and think about what I wanted to do the near future,” Jones told a press conference this week.
“My agent got a call from Toulon, and the club showed interest through [director of rugby] Pierre Mignoni and the president.
“They wanted me immediately for this period, and I didn’t think the opportunity to sign for Toulon would come again, so I just decided to grab it.”
The lock forward revealed that playing in the Top 14 was always an ambition of his but that prior commitments with Wales and his family meant that the timing wasn’t right until now.
“I’ve done a lot of things in my career, and to play in France was one of my aims, so when the chance came up, I wasn’t able to refuse it,” he added.
“When Toulon contacted me [previously], I had different commitments and priorities, particularly with my family and international rugby.
“This time was different, I have a wife, three daughters, and we felt that was a good thing.
“I see what Pierre Mignoni wants to achieve with this team, and I’m thrilled to be here, but I haven’t proved anything yet.
“What I’ve done up to now counts for nothing; now I have to gain respect wearing the Toulon shirt.”
Extending his career?
As for the future, Jones did not rule out extending his stay at Toulon beyond his current short-term deal.
“I’ve played rugby long enough now to realise you never know what’s going to happen in the future,” he said.
Meanwhile, Toulon boss Mignoni was full of praise for his new recruit.
“I don’t like to talk about ‘star’, he is a player with a lot of experience, and I can confirm that during training, he shows that he is not here on vacation,” the director of rugby said.
“He has a big ambition for this World Cup period with the club, and the others look at it differently.
“He has an exemplary attitude, and he pulls others up with him; he’s a real driving force. He really affirms our choice to bring in a player like that, especially in this period when we have less experience.”
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The article Alun Wyn Jones could not ‘refuse’ the chance to realise his Top 14 dream appeared first on Planetrugby.com.
