There is not even a place for Henson on the bench.

"He's not playing well enough, " Jenkins explained.

"He's under far too much scrutiny from the press and that has not helped him at all." Besides, Wales had other issues. Gareth Thomas, the former captain who has also been under intense scrutiny for all the wrong reasons, was named on the wing but then they had to reshuffle the back line when they found out he had been banned for getting involved in the notorious case of Trevor Brennan clambering into the stand to confront a spectator in the recent Toulouse-Ulster match.

Was Jones bothered by all of this? If he was he didn't show it. With 58 caps to his name only Martyn Williams, another former captain, has more test experience. Jones appeared to be so relaxed he wasn't even sure who would be taking the goal kicks at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff this afternoon, no small consideration given that Ronan O'Gara is one of the best marksmen in the business.

Jones said he would leave the decision up to Neil Jenkins, Wales's kicking coach.

The alternative is James Hook. "I'll keep out of it, " Jones said. "I enjoy kicking for Llanelli and if I don't have to do it for Wales I suppose it's one less responsibility." This issue became curiouser when Gareth Jenkins said there was no debate- Jones will be the goalkicker.

In many ways Jones does not fit the image of a Wales out-half and he doesn't do glamour. There is no dazzling sidestep, searing acceleration or outrageous dummy but he's still there and he's won more caps than J P R Williams, Gareth Edwards and Gerald Davies. There is, though, an admirable quality about Jones and it's not just his modesty. He can usually be relied upon to do the right thing by the team, whether it's Llanelli or Wales. He tends to kick goals when the pressure is on and he has been known to shred a defence.

Take that Slam of two seasons ago. It was heading down the Seine when France opened up a 15-3 lead in Paris and it could have been a whole lot more. On the stroke of half-time Jones kicked a penalty and it was one of his most important. "We couldn't get our hands on the ball and we were lucky not be out of it, " Jones recalls. "As it was we scrambled in defence and I managed to kick a couple of goals."

The Slam and the convoluted departure of the coach Mike Ruddock was followed by a crash in the Six Nations last season when, under the captaincy of Gareth Thomas and then Michael Owen, Wales lost heavily to England and Ireland, drew with Italy and registered one victory, over Scotland. Jones took over the captaincy in the autumn and things were going from bad to worse. He limped off after 20 minutes against Australia, who had built a big lead, and then had to endure the Hook factor.

Young James came on, played a blinder and inspired Wales to an honourable 29-29 draw.

A few weeks later Jones returned to lead the side against the all-conquering All Blacks and they were beaten 45-10.

"With hindsight I shouldn't have played, " Jones admits.

"I'd had the all clear from the physio but I wasn't that sharp." Daniel Carter was and New Zealand scored five tries to one, Hook coming on as a replacement.

Of the young Osprey, who will be at inside centre today, Jones says: "He's been superb. He's a very talented individual and this is great for us. It gives our attack another dimension." It's what they've been looking for although their priority is to expose the Ireland front row and go after the half-backs.

Another priority is curtailing the influence of Simon Easterby, an integral part of the Ireland back row who happens to be the Llanelli captain.

"Simon will be a nuisance in the contact area, " Jones says. "He will fight for every ball, slow our game down and he could frustrate us. He does it every week for our club."

Come the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup, when the Scarlets host Munster, Jones will not have the responsibility of captaincy but he will, once again, be up against O'Gara.

It's a small world, the global game, but Jones wouldn't want to be anywhere else.