Wasserman Rugby Insight

Alun Wyn – Player of the Six Nations

Welsh second-row Alun Wyn Jones has been unveiled as the 2019 Guinness Six Nations Player of the Championship.

  • Alun Wyn Jones captained Wales to their first Grand Slam in seven years in the 2019 Guinness Six Nations
  • It is Jones’ third Grand Slam, following other successes in 2008 and 2012
  • He becomes the fifth Wales player to be named Player of the Championship, following Martyn Williams, Shane Williams, Dan Lydiate and Leigh Halfpenny

Alun Wyn Jones’ incredible 2019 Championship Alun Wyn Jones: Leader, legend, lock of a lifetime VIDEO: Alun Wyn Jones’ best bits from the 2019 Championship
Jones captained his side to victory, beating out all opposition in this year’s Championship and securing Wales’s first Grand Slam since 2012.

Wales’s 2019 Guinness Six Nations commenced with a resolute comeback win versus France in the Championship opener in Paris before they continued with a series of dominant performances throughout the Championship.

Victories followed against Italy, England and Scotland, and finally against the title holders Ireland at Principality Stadium to cap off an impressive Grand Slam Championship.

Jones said: “I’m very flattered to be named the Guinness Six Nations Player of the Championship. For me as the captain, it’s a validation of what we’ve done as a squad throughout the campaign.

“To be up there as a nominee with three other Welsh players and two outstanding players from England would have been more than enough and I’m very grateful to the people who have taken the time to vote.”

Jones becomes the fifth Welsh player to win the award following fellow forwards Martyn Williams and Dan Lydiate, plus wing Shane Williams and full-back Leigh Halfpenny.

He is also the fourth forward to win the award, following Williams, Lydiate and Ireland’s Paul O’Connell.

Ahead of going to a public vote, a shortlist of six potential players of the Championship, four Welsh and two English, were chosen by an expert panel of distinguished rugby writers and broadcasters from across the six participating countries:

  • Alun Wyn Jones (Wales)
  • Hadleigh Parkes (Wales)
  • Josh Adams (Wales)
  • Liam Williams (Wales)
  • Jonny May (England)
  • Tom Curry (England)