Alun Wyn Jones is "monumental" for the British and Irish Lions, according to former South Africa wing Bryan Habana.
Jones, the most-capped player of all time with 157 international appearances across his career with Wales and the Lions, has made a remarkable comeback to return to the Lions' squad for their tour of South Africa.
The 35-year-old suffered a dislocated shoulder in a pre-tour match against Japan in Edinburgh and did not travel with Warren Gatland's squad and seemed unlikely to be able to feature in the three-match Test series against the Springboks.
Yet he has made a rapid recovery and will link up with the Lions ahead of Saturday's game with the Stormers.
Jones will be on the bench for that match, putting him firmly in contention for a start in the first Test against the reigning world champions on July 24.
Habana represented South Africa against the Lions in 2009, helping the Springboks to a series victory, and he believes Jones is not only an inspiration to Gatland's team, but to all athletes who aim to draw out their careers.
"It's monumental," Habana told Stats Perform. "All of under-40s, recently retired players, are sort of vicariously living through what he has become in terms of an iconic figure.
"It's astounding, mind-blowing, to think how far he's come over the course of the last 14-15 years since making his debut, that he's still able to produce efforts on a weekly basis that warrant not only his selection in the squad, but warrant his selection as captain of a prestigious side like the Lions.
"All of us around the world have an immense amount of respect for him. To go on and break Richie McCaw's Test cap record, but do it in a manner in which people still advocate for him being involved in the side, it tells you the status of the man.
"And I, having played the game, not remotely physically as close to what Alun has been doing in the forwards, just have a huge amount of respect for what he's achieved for the game, the manner in which he has played the game, but [also] the respect that he commands both from his own team-mates and from opposition."
The Lions perhaps missed Jones' leadership as they suffered their first defeat in eight matches on Wednesday.
A South Africa A side littered with 2019 World Cup winners won 17-13 in Cape Town, with the Lions losing for the first time in the city since 1980.
It was the lowest points tally the Lions have managed in a game since their 12-3 win over the Crusaders in the third match of their 2017 tour of New Zealand.
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Billy Vunipola ready to resume physical role for England when required
Billy Vunipola insists he is ready to resume his primary function as England’s battering ram having played a supporting role against Chile which allowed others to shine.
Vunipola is competing with the in-form Ben Earl for the number eight jersey in the final group match against Samoa on October 7 when Steve Borthwick’s team are expected to clinch their World Cup quarter-final spot as Pool D winners.
Making his first start since completing a two-match ban for a dangerous tackle, the imposing Saracens back row found his ability to make a significant impact in the 71-0 demolition of Chile last Saturday curtailed by the all-out assault being conducted around him.
“It’s funny to say this because we beat them quite convincingly but it’s tough for me to try and take all the onus on myself when everyone else is very keen to try and get the ball in their hands,” Vunipola said.
“My role becomes that of a support player and as much as I want to have the ball in my hands, I want to put the team in the best position possible. So if that means giving the ball to Owen Farrell more often, then so be it.
“Obviously having a lot of involvements is a positive. I would have liked to have had 15-16 carries, but at the end of the day that’s not what the team needed from me on Saturday. My role was to try and help the team and I felt like I did that.
“But I felt positive coming away because the forwards put the backs in positions where they could run free and attack.
“I’m supremely confident in what I bring in terms of my physicality and against physical teams I know I can hold my own. When I’m called upon I’m right here, waiting.”
England have overcome an abysmal World Cup build-up consisting of three defeats in four preparation fixtures to dispatch Argentina, Japan and Chile with ease since arriving in France.
Although the suspicion remains that they will struggle when meeting the type of heavyweight opposition they have yet to face, they will enter a likely quarter-final against Fiji with the wind in their sails.
It has since emerged that their disastrous results last month were partly a consequence of their heavy conditioning programme, which has been designed to place them in the best possible position for the key phases of the World Cup.
Vunipola uses David Haye’s world heavyweight title defeat by Wladimir Klitschko in 2011, which he blamed on an injured toe, to explain why England kept the knowledge of their empty tanks to themselves.
“I sit here with a team that’s doing really well after what some people said was a disaster in August, but the work we were doing away from prying eyes was always going to bear these results.
“It was just tough little period to ride through but luckily we have come through it. We couldn’t talk about it otherwise it would be seen as an excuse.
“The only example I can think of is when David Haye was complaining about his little toe after he lost his fight.
“It’s not something you can disclose but we were training really hard because our goal was to be ready and fresh for Argentina.”
Ireland have plenty to ‘tidy up’ ahead of crunch Scotland showdown
Prop Finlay Bealham feels Ireland have “lots to tidy up” ahead of a crunch Rugby World Cup clash with rivals Scotland.
Andy Farrell’s squad will resume training at their base in Tours on Thursday, having enjoyed some time off in the aftermath of Saturday evening’s physical 13-8 success over South Africa.
Despite the result, Ireland endured line-out struggles against the Springboks in Paris, while they were let off the hook by some wayward opposition goal-kicking.
Tighthead Bealham is ready to “get back on the horse” after the well-earned break and believes there is plenty of room for improvement ahead of a decisive pool B encounter with the Scots on October 7.
“There are certainly things to tidy up for sure,” he said. “We’ve a game against Scotland and we’ll fix up what we’ve got to fix up.
“A few things (against South Africa) didn’t go to plan and the resilience and the fight (was pleasing).
“Everyone was working for each other, (it’s a) special group and to be a part of it is an honour.
“We knew they would be a big challenge and we fronted up well, but certainly lots to tidy up.
“We’ll get back on the horse and get after it.”
Following the jubilation of defeating the defending champions, Ireland’s World Cup fate will be decided by further 9pm kick-offs at Stade de France.
Test rugby’s top-ranked nation still have work to do to secure a spot in the knockout stages and will play each of their remaining tournament matches – potentially four – in the French capital, beginning in late evening.
Australia-born Bealham believes it is important players switch off from rugby in the long hours leading up to kick-off in order to avoid “playing the game 10 times before it actually starts”.
“I’ve gotten better since I’ve got older,” the 31-year-old said of not overthinking matches during free time.
“We have such a tight-knit group, everyone knows what each other is like and you can go hang out with the lads and have a bit of craic, which takes your mind off the games.
“Especially these late kick-offs, you don’t want to be sitting in your room playing the game 10 times before it actually starts.”
For the third successive weekend, Ireland were backed by hordes of travelling fans, with wide-ranging estimates suggesting between 30,000 and 60,000 Irish supporters were in attendance in Saint-Denis.
“When you’re playing you notice it at times, but when we are doing the lap at the end, seeing all the Irish, it felt like a home game,” said Connacht player Bealham.
“The support we get from the fans is second to none. They are the best fans in the world.
“Lots of credit to them, we love our fans so much. To see them all there, the sea of green, it was class.”
Jonny May says Marcus Smith ‘probably the fastest off the mark’ in England squad
Marcus Smith has developed into England’s fastest player over short distances, according to sprint student Jonny May.
Making his first start at full-back, Smith excelled in Sunday’s 71-0 rout of Chile that has placed unbeaten England on the brink of qualifying for the World Cup quarter-finals.
The 24-year-old Harlequins magician, a converted fly-half, conjured a dazzling solo touch down as part of an individual two-try haul and also offered an extra dimension in attack.
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While Smith’s creativity as a ball player is well established, the lightening-quick May has been caught by surprise by just how rapid he has become.
“Marcus’ acceleration is as good as anyone’s,” said May, who sharpened his own running technique with a spell at Michael Johnson Performance in Texas.
“Off the mark he’s frightening. Top speed he’s getting faster as well.
“His top speed is probably not like a winger yet, but he doesn’t need that.
“He is deadly in the outside channels. He’s as good as anyone out there.
“He has his famous goose-step and change of direction, and then acceleration which really is as fast as anybody’s here.
“He’s probably the fastest off the mark.”
Racing 92 wing Henry Arundell underlined his pace when plundering five tries against Chile, but even the squad’s most rapid player can not match Smith for sheer speed from a standing start.
When asked if Smith is faster than Arundell, May replied: “Yes, I think he is – off that 10-metre burst.
“For acceleration you want low heel-recovery – and that’s how Marcus runs. For top speed you want your legs to come up high, but for acceleration you want it to be low.
“He really does drive his knees and keeps his feet close to the ground.
“He just whizzes off the mark. He’s an acceleration guy and he’s quick at it.”
May first encountered Smith when the Brighton resident, who was making waves as an age-grade player, was invited by former head coach Eddie Jones to join an England camp on the south coast in 2017.
“I’ve actually been saying to Marcus, ‘mate you are physically blossoming’. It’s sort of sprung up on me,” the veteran Gloucester wing said.
“You forget he has been coming in with us since he was 16. We’d put a GPS on him and he’d be running around Brighton College with us.
“I don’t want to sound patronising but because he’s always been that little guy running round with us, it’s only now I’m realising he’s looking quick and that all of a sudden his legs are big.
“You start to come into yourself at 24. Rugby is bit of a late-development sport. He’s definitely coming into himself physically.
“He has put on a bit and his legs are looking good. People are whacking him and he’s spinning off them.
“He’s looking quick, he’s obviously fit and it’s crept up on me a bit. Suddenly I’m thinking ‘bloody hell, mate, good stuff’.”
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