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Alun Wyn Jones Ready For Debut At 37 As He Takes On The World

By David Parsons

Alun Wyn Jones will captain the Barbarians at Twickenham on Sunday in the game against a World XV.

It will be the 37-year-old Ospreys lock’s 15th international outing at the home of English rugby in a game that will see him make his debut for the Baa-Baas.

He has three wins over England in 12 games at Twickenham and suffered losses there to both Australia and South Africa there in 2015.

The game comes a week after the world’s record cap holder decided to hang up his boots at international level.

He made 12 Test appearances for the British & Irish Lions and 158 for Wales.

Joining him in the Baa-Baa ranks will be fellow Osprey Gareth Anscombe, who starts at full back, and Dragons back row man Aaron Wainwright.

Scarlets prop Wyn Jones starts in the front row from Steve Hansen’s World XV, while Dragons hooker Elliot Dee and now unattached utility back Rhys Patchell, are on the bench.

The Barbarians will head to south Wales next week for a special anniversary fixture at St Helen’s against Swansea.

Alun Wyn Jones Barbarians LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 24: Alun Wyn Jones practises his drop kicks during the Barbarians training session at Latymer School on May 24, 2023 in London, England. The Barbarians will play against a World XV at Twickenham on Sunday May 28. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images for Barbarians)

The Whites are celebrating their 150th anniversary and Jones is among the eight names revealed by Baa-Baas head coach for the game, John Mulvihill.

Joining Jones will be – Oli Kebble (Scotland), Bradley Davies (Wales), Alun-Wyn Jones (Wales), Dan Lydiate (Wales), Olly Robinson (England), Sione Vailanu (Tonga), Rey Lee-Lo (Samoa), Damien Hoyland (Scotland)

The game between Swansea and the Baa-Bass will kick off at 6.30pm on Wednesday, 31 May.

Barbarians: Gareth Anscombe; Adam Radwan, Seta Tamanivalu, Samu Kerevi, Tevita Li; Quade Cooper, Jack Maunder; Alex Waller, Nic Dolly, Enrique Pieretto, Alun Wyn Jones (captain), Stephan Lewies, Aaron Wainwright, Kai Yamamoto, Steven Luatua
Reps: Harry Thacker, Tom West, Carlü Sadie, Rob Simmons, Sione Vailanu, Francois Hougaard, Aaron Cruden, Sam Johnson

World XV: Charles Piutau; Israel Folau, Semi Radradra, Ngani Laumape, Sbu Nkosi; Adam Hastings, Nick Phipps; Wyn Jones, Fraser Brown, Oli Kebble, Api Ratuniyarawa, Harry Hockings, Sebastian Negri, Michele Lamaro (captain), Vilame Mata.
Reps: Elliot Dee, Allan Dell, Marcus Street, Niccolò Cannone, Jordi Murphy, Bryn Hall, Rhys Patchell, Kaminieli Rasaku

Alun Wyn Jones Barbarians LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 24: Alun Wyn Jones wins a line out during the Barbarians training session at Latymer School on May 24, 2023 in London, England. The Barbarians will play against a World XV at Twickenham on Sunday May 28. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images for Barbarians)

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