Itoje can compete with the Bok giants

2021 LIONS A YEAR TO GO. NICK CAIN LOOKS AT THE CONTENDERS FOR EACH POSITION

- NICK CAIN

THE old description of Lions locks being as lofty as pine trees, and about as mobile, is one which was toppled many moons ago. Over the last 25 years the great second-row forwards who have represented the Lions have had to transform in order to meet the new age requirements of not only being big men with earth-moving power and endurance, but also eyeopening athleticism and mobility.

They are the giant decathletes of the modern 15-man game, and none more so than the pairing of Alun Wyn Jones and Maro Itoje that took on the All Blacks in the drawn 2017 series in New Zealand.

There are inevitably question marks over whether Jones can peak again next summer in South Africa to make his third Lions tour at the age of 35. However, given that the Welsh captain is essentially a centrally contracted player, whose programme is managed carefully at the Ospreys so that he is primed for international windows, he has not got as much mileage on the clock as most veteran locks.

There were signs during the recent, truncated 2020 Six Nations campaign that Jones has mileage left on the clock after he was consistently among the best performers in the Welsh pack, despite their disappointing losses to Ireland, France, and England.

Another factor in Jones’ favour is that he was Warren Gatland’s chosen man to replace Sam Warburton as skipper in his last two years in charge of Wales – and was also promoted when Warburton was injured for the crucial second Test victory on the 2017 Lions tour.