Warren Gatland: Alun Wyn Jones is 'one of the guys that we would be looking at in terms of captain material'

Warren Gatland has indicated that Alun Wyn Jones is in the conversation as a potential British and Irish Lions Tour captain.

Speaking after the confirmation of the Lions coaching staff, the former Wales boss commented on the 2021 Six Nations admitting that it was pleasing to see his old side lift the title while also revealing that Alun Wyn Jones is a contender to lead the Lions.

"It was a strange Six Nations," said Gatland.

"There’s no doubt that you need a little bit of luck and some momentum and Wales took the luck with the two red cards."

"I was pleased for them [Wales] and pleased that they did well.

"But I also thought it was a great Six Nations from a neutral perspective and how close the games were and any team was capable of beating another team.

"I thought the Six Nations was brilliant from the perspective that there were five teams who, on their day, were all capable of beating each other."

Six Nations winning Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones re-emerged as one of the favourites to captain the Lions later this year and Gatland confirmed that the experienced second rower is in contention for the role while also stating that any touring captain will need to earn their place in the test starting XV.

"He [Jones] is probably one of the guys that we would be looking at in terms of captain material," said Gatland.

"I think it does help coming from a team that has done reasonably well in the Six Nations.

"There’s also a process to go through. Whoever is captain, you need to make sure you have that conversation with them to say that you might be captain on tour but there is no guarantee that you are going to play in the Test matches.

"You still have to perform well and play well. Kind of everyone else understanding that.

"If you are a player on tour and you are in the same position as the captain then you are probably thinking that if you know the conversation has been had that it is important that the captain plays well enough to be selected and if I play better than him in the same position then I have a chance.

"It's important for me to have that conversation. There’s no doubt that he would be one of the guys that we would be potentially looking at.