Jones and Horwill Victims in their own right

How fitting it is for Welsh lock Alun Wyn Jones to be handed the captaincy for the British and Irish Lions in the absence of fellow countryman Sam Warbuton, who misses the do or die clash against the Wallabies in Sydney on Saturday through injury.

Jones will take on the armband and come face to face with again with the man twice cleared of stamping on his head, Australian skipper James Horwill. 

Horwill swiped his studs in the direction of Jones’ head just three minutes in to the pulsating series opening clash in Brisbane where the tourists pinched a 23-21 win and was initially cited for the incident. 

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Although free to play the following week in the even narrower contest in Melbourne, where the hosts triumphed 16-15, the 28 year old, it was assumed, was likely to be pulled up by a judiciary review panel and potentially handed a ban.

Not so, it transpired.

 

The International Rugby Board (IRB) then took the unprecedented step of appealing against the decision and allowing an independent judge to rule on the incident which left Jones needing stitches.

The IRB’s judgement was bold and brave in itself, knowing that the evidence of the incident was inconclusive or unclear, call it what you will.

Whether they wanted to make an example of the typically Australian second-rower is unclear, but the outcome – even after extensive review – reflects badly on the muddled organisation.

Jones has to clear his head for the biggest night of his life while Horwill will continue to lead from the front in familiar brutish fashion.