Former Wales and British & Irish Lions captain Alun Wyn Jones has said he was diagnosed with a heart condition in the final months of his almost 20-year career.
The 38-year-old, rugby’s most capped player having made 158 appearances for Wales and 12 for the Lions, joined French club Toulon in July on a short-term deal, which ended in November.
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He announced his retirement from international rugby in May. “I was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation,” Jones told the Telegraph. This was discovered during a complete medical examination, including an ECG, upon my arrival in Toulon in July.
“There’s a lot of talk about wellbeing in rugby at the moment, but does it cover everything? Are these just things we can afford? “The sport has certainly reached a point where players should be tested more often, especially in an era where the demands of the game are increasing.”
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Jones said he would be forever grateful to Toulon. “If they hadn’t offered me a contract, I might never have known about my heart problem,” he added.
“The cardiologist detected it immediately. My heart rate was like that of a horse galloping on six legs. They were everywhere in the store.”
Jones said he consulted a doctor before deciding to play for the French team.
“It may seem like a selfish decision given that I have three young daughters, but I had to seize this opportunity,” he added.
“It was only supposed to be four months, and it gave me the opportunity to experience and gain perspective on my career and life.”
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bangalore; editing by Peter Rutherford)
