Wales boss Wayne Pivac says there has never been any doubt in his mind that Alun Wyn Jones’ stellar career could incorporate next year’s Rugby World Cup.
Jones will win his 150th Wales cap – an ongoing world record – against Italy in the final round of the 2022 Six Nations on Saturday after being named in the starting line-up.
The 36-year-old has not played since suffering a shoulder injury during Wales’ Autumn Nations series opener against New Zealand in late October.
Jones had two operations – and most medical forecasts were that he would miss the entire Six Nations – but he is back ahead of schedule, as he was for the British and Irish Lions against South Africa last summer following shoulder trouble, and partners Adam Beard in the second row.
Fly-half Dan Biggar, who took him over as skipper from Jones for the Six Nations, retains that role and will become the seventh Welshman to win 100 caps for his country after Jones, Gethin Jenkins, Stephen Jones, George North, Martyn Williams and Gareth Thomas.
Asked about Alun Wyn Jones’ prospects of going to his fifth World Cup in 18 months’ time, Pivac said: “I hope so, because we have contracted him that far.
“There was never any question in my mind that he would, unless there was injury. He clearly has to maintain form and be selectable.
“Certainly, him and I have the understanding that is his target, that is what he is going towards and we’ve certainly discussed that.
“He has been with us a few weeks and we’ve monitored him. He has trained very well, ticked all the boxes.
“To be playing 150 Test matches for your country, something no-one else on the planet has ever done, just shows he is a special person.”
Pivac paid tribute to Biggar, who has excelled for Wales during the Six Nations and relished the captaincy role.
“He is a champion, isn’t he?” Pivac added. “Dan is somebody that demands high-quality training from himself and his team-mates.
“He leads by example and is everything you want in a leader and a good number 10 in terms of managing and running the game.
“To play 100 games, it shows resilience, and I am really pleased that he gets to do it in front of a home crowd.”
Biggar captains a team showing seven changes following the 13-9 defeat against title and Grand Slam-chasing France last Friday.
Jones apart, other players called up are full-back Johnny McNicholl, wing Louis Rees-Zammit, centre Uilisi Halaholo, scrum-half Gareth Davies, hooker Dewi Lake and prop Dillon Lewis.
Players dropping out include Liam Williams, Alex Cuthbert, Jonathan Davies, Ryan Elias and Will Rowlands.
A bonus-point victory for Wales over the Azzurri in Cardiff could see them claim a third-place finish, depending on how England and Scotland fare in their final games.
Wales won 42-0 when Italy last visited the Welsh capital and their opponents have lost 36 successive Six Nations matches since toppling Scotland at Murrayfield in February 2015.
We’ve got to get a job done on Saturday and then we will sit and wait and see how the other results go
Pivac said: “We would love to (finish third). It would be a great way to finish.
“We’ve got to get a job done on Saturday and then we will sit and wait and see how the other results go.
“Mathematically there is an opportunity to do that and we will certainly be trying to do our bit by getting the win at home.
“We want to attack. We want to create scoring opportunities, which we did against France four or five times, which we’ve been through in the review process.
“We weren’t clinical enough. We want to continue that theme of creating chances, but we want to make sure we make good decisions and finish teams off when we get into that position.”
