The British & Irish Lions will be boosted by the return of tour captain Alun Wyn Jones after it was confirmed today by Warren Gatland that he will go to South Africa.
The Welsh lock, who dislocated his shoulder during Lions 1888 Cup game against Japan at Murrayfield on Saturday 26 June, will fly into Cape Town on Thursday 15 July.
Following a training session with the Wales squad at the Vale of Glamorgan training headquarters on Tuesday and subsequent medical assessment this morning, the second row was passed fit to return to the Tour in South Africa.
The return. Y dychweliad. #AWJ pic.twitter.com/2A5A2I0S7N
— Welsh Rugby Union 🏉 (@WelshRugbyUnion) July 13, 2021
“We are delighted to welcome Alun Wyn back,” said Gatland.
“It’ll come as no surprise to anyone who knows Alun Wyn that since injuring his shoulder against Japan, he’s done everything he can to get himself back. It’s remarkable really when you consider it’s just 18 days since he left us in Edinburgh.
“He’s been training with the Wales squad at the Vale since last week and yesterday he had a proper hit out. Following assessment from the medical staff this morning we’re satisfied he’s fit to return.
“He’s obviously raring to go and from what I’ve seen on video and the feedback we’ve received, he’s certainly not been holding himself back in training. He was really getting stuck in yesterday.
“It’s a massive boost for the Lions to welcome a player of Alun Wyn’s stature back.”
Suddenly all of those Alun-Wyn Jones memes, of him being a super human robot monster, don’t seem like memes.
They’re merely historical record.
— Paul Williams (@thepaulwilliams) July 14, 2021
Wow! Big Alun Wyn Jones is flying back out to South Africa for the rest of the @lionsofficial tour! He dislocated his shoulder 18 days ago! Call him super human, Lazarus, a freak of nature, the ultimate pro or a hero but that’s a massive plus to have the skipper back! #LionsRugby
— Andy Goode (@AndyGoode10) July 14, 2021
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