LONDON — Wales great Alun Wyn Jones was selected as captain of the British and Irish Lions for the first time for the tour of South Africa.
The 35-year-old Jones, who will tour with the Lions for the fourth straight time, was stand-in captain for the series-clinching victory over Australia in the third test in 2013 but has never been tour captain.
Jones is one of the most respected players in rugby and holds the world record for test appearances at 157, nine of which have come in the last three Lions series. He led Wales to the Six Nations title in March and has been captain of his country on a permanent basis since 2017.
The lock is the oldest player to captain the Lions in the professional era and is likely to form a second-row partnership with England’s Maro Itoje, who was also in the frame for the captaincy.
The 37-man squad was being announced later Thursday.
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