Jones admits shock at O’Driscoll call

Alun Wyn Jones was as surprised as everyone else when he learned he was to captain the British & Irish Lions but the Wales lock insists he is ready for the responsibility of leading his side into the must-win third Test.

Jones, 27, only learned of his promotion yesterday morning and like most people outside of head coach Warren Gatland’s inner circle, was expecting Brian O’Driscoll to lead the Lions into the series decider against Australia at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium on Saturday morning.

“No inkling,” the Ospreys second row said of the news. “There were still other candidates available for selection. I was told this morning. At the same time people were notified they wouldn’t be selected. So it’s been a strange morning. But the session is out of the way and it’s just back to work now, essentially. I don’t want to change anything. I just want to keep going the way I have been going, on a personal level. I’m not going to tell the backs how to kick or to pass or to run. It’s a case for me to do what I’ve been doing with the others in the pack and hopefully bring the win.”