Alun Wyn Jones will play his 149th test for Wales this weekend. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Alun Wyn Jones will play his 149th test for Wales this weekend. Photo / Mark Mitchell
While injuries and the Northern Hemisphere club season have decimated Welsh player availabilities ahead of their clash against the All Blacks, at least one name on the team sheet will be familiar to rugby fans everywhere.
Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones will earn his 149th test cap against the All Blacks on Sunday morning (NZ time), surpassing the record of most test appearances for a country, set by Richie McCaw who played 148 for New Zealand.
With the emotion the occasion is likely to inspire at the packed Principality Stadium in Cardiff, All Blacks captain Samuel Whitelock was looking forward to taking on the challenge posed by Jones – in more areas than one.
Alun Wyn Jones will play his 149th test for Wales this weekend. Photo / Mark Mitchell
The two locks will both wear the No.5 for their sides and will play key roles in trying to get the upper hand up front. But with the two both captaining their sides, Whitelock said he expected to have a few exchanges with Jones if past experience was anything to go by.
"He's a real competitor and it's great to be out there playing against him. He normally brings a bit of chat during the game, but then afterwards it's always good to share a cold beer with him," Whitelock said.
"I think it's one of those things; you're always out there to do your best, but you have got to enjoy it and I think that's what Alun Wyn always does – he enjoys having a bit of banter with the referee and the other captain as well.
"Sometimes it's half-hearted and just a bit of fun; it's actually really nice. It takes, sometimes, the edge off and allows players to play better, and sometimes allows him to get in the ref's good books so I'm sure there will be a bit of that friendly banter going on out there."
Whitelock will pair up with Brodie Retallick in the starting lock roles for the first time this tour as the All Blacks look to establish dominance up front against a Welsh team that has shown it is willing to adapt its game.
Under coach Wayne Pivac, Wales have shown a willingness to play a more expansive brand of rugby in which they like to keep hold of the ball and build pressure. However, they showed during their successful Six Nations campaign that they're well versed in a more traditional style of Northern Hemisphere rugby – setting the platform and controlling the game through their tight five.
"They're a team that can play both scenarios," Whitelock said.
"That's going to be our challenge, especially for myself as a tight forward, making sure that they don't get dominance up front, then hopefully that allows us to impose ourselves on them versus them doing it to us.
"It's great having Guzzler (Retallick) out there. He's a world class athlete, knows his game really well and, hopefully, we make each other better when we get out there. It's great; it takes time to build trust with people you play alongside and I feel like we've definitely got that trust, and it definitely helps – you can worry about your own things rather than worry about someone else. He normally plays to a really high quality and, hopefully, I do the same."
Brodie Retallick and Samuel Whitelock will again link up in the second row for the All Blacks. Photo / Jason Oxenham.
As has been the theme of the All Blacks' entire end of year tour, there were plenty of unknowns leading up to this weekend's clash – particularly with the side having a tight travel schedule which saw them go straight to the airport following their win over the United States last weekend.
For many in the team, the game itself will be another experience as it will be the first opportunity to play for the All Blacks on European soil – doing so at a ground renowned for its atmosphere.
Whitelock said the more experienced members of the team had tried their hand at describing what they were walking into so the newer players would be prepared, but conceded it was probably something that a player had to experience for themselves to get the full idea.
"I think as a player it's one of the most special stadiums to play at – especially during the anthems. The Welsh all can sing; they definitely get up there and back themselves, and it's pretty cool when you hear 70-odd thousand Welsh people singing at the top of their lungs."
