Stephen Jones: Joins Wasps' coaching staff next season
Related links
Teams
Also see
Wasps' Welsh fly-half Stephen Jones has announced that he is to hang up his boots at the end of the season.
Wales' most capped player and second highest points scorer of all time will join London Wasps director of rugby Dai Young's coaching team at Wasps from next season.
Jones will retire having achieved a huge amount in the game at club and international level and with a stellar career behind him.
The 104-times capped Jones represented the Scarlets and Clermont-Auvergne before joining Wasps, and his impressive accolades also include six test matches for the British and Irish Lions as a double tourist in 2005 and 2009.
He has scored a total of 970 points in 110 Test matches (104 for Wales and six for the British and Irish Lions).
He has scored seven tries, all for Wales; kicked 198 penalties (186 for Wales and 12 for the Lions); 160 conversions (153 for Wales and seven for the Lions); and seven drop goals (six for Wales and one for the Lions).
Jones has played an important role for Wasps on and off the pitch this season and will continue to be a key figure for the rest of the season.
His enthusiasm and positivity has been his trade mark in an incredible career and having made 11 appearances so far for Wasps this season, he has played a significant role in the club's recent upturn of fortunes.
"I feel incredibly lucky to have played for some fantastic sides down through the years and I feel the time is right for me now to make the transition into coaching, which is what I have always wanted to do," Jones said of his retirement.
"There is an opportunity for me to do that at London Wasps and I am very excited about the next step of my career.
"I want to say a huge thanks to everyone at the Scarlets, Clermont Auvergne and London Wasps - and I feel grateful to have worn three fantastic professional club shirts in my career.
"I also feel honoured to have pulled on the Wales and British and Irish Lions shirts and I appreciate everyone involved in those sides as well as the supporters who have been there and backed me throughout my playing days.
"I am taking with me some incredible memories and experiences."
Young is excited about the prospect of working with Jones as a coach.
"I always thought Stephen would make an excellent coach and everything I have seen of him this season backs that up," he said.
"It is sad to see him retire but what we are losing on the field we are gaining off it. I have always admired Stephen's tactical nous and I think he will be an excellent member of our coaching team.
"In the meantime we have some massive games coming up and Stephen is going to play a big part as a player in the coming months."
Comments
cymro says...
@ Isograford
URA2@ ! :-)
Posted 01:42 03rd March 2013
rugby_rockstar says...
Steve is a likable guy who won my respect years ago. Favourite rugby memory is him linking with Martyn Williams to score a slick try vs France in paris in 2005. It was class.
He also gave Leicester hell in those titanic euro cup matches in 2002. Smashed leicester in Llanelli, we won at welford road and the quarterfinal is still one of the most exciting games you'll ever see. Thanks for the memories and all the best for the future.
Posted 11:39 01st March 2013
lawynd says...
Great player and an absolute gentleman according to a friend. Wales and the regions would do well to keep an eye on his coaching career with Wasps.
Posted 09:27 01st March 2013
racdavies says...
A true gentleman, everyone's friend and very very astute rugby player and tactician. He might still be Wales best fly half, if for a yard or two more pace. Old age doesn't come by itself but it'll be a sad day when Stephen hangs up his boots. Cover tackling around the field, always getting to breakdowns to pop up and make a quick ball, staying on his feet, playing in the right areas... Pretty well perfect distribution in his latter years with Wales and top drawer goal kicking stats. Well done on a wonderful and well deserved career and retirement.Bets in now for future Wales coach? Total pro. Yma o Hyd!!
Posted 22:17 28th February 2013
j615 says...
A great professional who had a brilliant career. I'm convinced he played his whole career averaging a match performance of between 6 and 8 out of 10. Never that flashy but never made many mistakes. I thought he was brilliant in the second Lions test in 09. That off load to Rob Kearney and the touch line penalty to level the scores were sensational. He always seems very approachable and modest. I hope Biggar and Priestland appreciate and learn from Jones who had some tough times internationally in his earlier career but rode it out and had some great wins too. Good luck Stephen!
Posted 21:38 28th February 2013
Alwill says...
Hugely underrated. Went on 2 Lions tours as expected "back up" and played in 6 tests. The antithesis of Cipriani and Henson in that he got the most out of his abilities. Not the most stylish, but highly effective, and like a true 10 made those around him better. You dont win 2 Grand Slams, play 6 Lions test, earn a 100 caps, and be voted the top 10 in the French league without doing something right.
Leinster_Goy.......Really? I bet you were one helluva player.
Posted 21:01 28th February 2013
Headhunter99 says...
a stand out player and man. A true professional in all of his years with Wales and at the end of his career with Wasps.
@leinster_goy - The beauty of the game is about the right and wrong decisions, I envy you if you've gone through your sporting life without making a mistake.
SJ always played fairly and honestly, can't ask for anymore from any player.
Posted 19:52 28th February 2013
alanatleeds says...
Not a Welsh fan but have deep admiration and respect for Stephen. Still doing the business in the AP but I wish him a happy retirement.
Posted 19:05 28th February 2013
carpelone says...
leinster_goy
Come on. Was not any worse of that purposeless Garryowen from O'Gara (again, thank you very much, Ronan).
This thread is to pay tribute to a extremely professional and to a nice bloke, who played always with passion, often punching well above his weight.
If you do not have nice things to say, then say nothing at all.
Posted 18:35 28th February 2013
Isograford says...
My main memory of him is jumping for girlish joy when Dan Carter kicked the ball out of the full and thinking Wales were about to score some sort of famous victory as a result. I think the AB's piled on 20 points after that. Well done Stepho :D
Posted 18:25 28th February 2013
Bones7 says...
leinster_goy, for me that pales in comparison to O'Gara's missed tackle and penalty that did lose us the game. If he'd stopped Fourie and not given away such a daft penalty in the dying stages it was all wrapped up.
Very good player though. Jones at his peak was brilliant without being brilliant all at the same time. He wasn't the best distributor, tactical kicker, goal kicker, runner or tackler, but he did all of them to such a high standard that allowed Wales to adapt their game plan as necessary, often within the same fixture. Everyone seemed to play better with Jones on the pitch. He must have made mistakes but I can't remember many of them! It's great to see such a great servant to the game bow out on his own terms, best of luck to him.
Posted 18:24 28th February 2013
stumpy says...
Hope he features for the Babas against the Lions this year, would be a very fitting tribute.
Posted 17:22 28th February 2013
leinster_goy says...
i'll never forgive him for his error in the 2nd Lions test 2009. the Lions won a penalty with 10 mins to go, and a chance to gain valuable territory. but jones carelessly missed touch, the boks came right back up the field and fourie got his try. he kicked immaculately from the tee that day but that crucial mistake will live long in my memory
Posted 14:23 28th February 2013
Stag91 says...
Wish him all the best, top professional
Posted 13:50 28th February 2013
SkinnyProp says...
A great servant for Wales and he had his fair share of abuse from the press down the years but always retained a positive outlook. The move to France was the career changer for him and he won the Top14 Player of the Year Award. Will be sadly missed on the rugby field but will be a great mentor and coach. Diolch yn fawr Steve and lwcws dda!
Posted 13:27 28th February 2013