A Guinness Six Nations Grand Slam, being named Player of the Championship, becoming Wales’s most-capped player and captaining his country to the Rugby World Cup semi-finals – 2019 has already been quite a year for Alun Wyn Jones.
And it could yet end with another honour after the talismanic lock was named on a six-strong shortlist for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.
Jones will be up against five other British sporting superstars in a public vote to win the prestigious gong during the Sports Personality programme on BBC One on Sunday, 15 December.
Sprinter Dina Asher-Smith, F1 driver Lewis Hamilton, heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Manchester City and England footballer Raheem Sterling and cricketer Ben Stokes will be his rivals for the award.
Jones is aiming to become the second consecutive Welshman to be named Sports Personality of the Year – an award first given out in 1954 when runner Chris Chataway was triumphant – after cyclist Geraint Thomas’s success 12 months ago and his 2019 CV certainly stands up to scrutiny.
The second-rower skippered Wales to a Guinness Six Nations Grand Slam back in the spring – as France, Italy, England, Scotland and Ireland were all brushed aside as part of a remarkable 14-Test winning streak by Warren Gatland’s troops.
The 34-year-old’s consistently inspiring displays saw him crowned Player of the Championship and he then led Wales to the World Cup semi-finals in Japan, narrowly losing to eventual winners South Africa.
During the tournament, he became the most-capped Welshman of all-time – surpassing Gethin Jenkins’ record – and trails only All Blacks legend Richie McCaw on the worldwide list, having now made 134 appearances for his country, as well as winning a further nine Test caps for the British & Irish Lions.
His performances meant he was nominated for World Rugby’s Player of the Year award and although he missed out to South Africa flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jones could yet end a banner year with another accolade to his name.
If he does get the nod, he would become just the sixth Welshman crowned in Sports Personality’s 65-year history after Thomas, footballer Ryan Giggs (2009), boxer Joe Calzaghe (2007), show jumper David Broome (1960) and golfer Dai Rees (1957).
