Neil Jenkins has paid tribute to Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones, as the lock prepares to equal Richie McCaw’s record of 148 Test caps.
Jones currently has 147 – including nine for the British & Irish Lions – and will equal it in Wales’ clash with France on Saturday night.
Jones made his international debut against Argentina in 2006 and has since won four Six Nations titles, including three Grand Slams.
Wales are out of the running this year but can still climb the table by beating Scotland in their Round 5 clash on Super Saturday.
They then embark on their inaugural Autumn Nations Cup campaign, where they face Ireland, Georgia and England in Group A.
“It’s incredible really isn’t it? To achieve what he has throughout his career in the position he players in is incredible,” skills coach Jenkins said.
“He’s in the front five, one of the hardest positions you can possibly play on a rugby pitch, yet he still seems like a young kid if you ask me. He turns up to training, is first to everything, very rarely gets beaten in anything if he does at all. That’s the way he is.
“I’ve been lucky enough to be involved with him since the Wales Under-21s back in 2006 and from then up until now he is just world class, one of the best to ever play the game and is going to basically beat someone [McCaw] who is maybe the greatest player, who knows?
“It’s an incredible achievement and whatever accolades come his way he definitely deserves that. I’d like to think he has a fair bit in him yet, but when the day does come and he is not wearing that jersey he will be sorely missed.”
