Success in international rugby is about setting standards off the field as well as on it...right down to washing up empty coffee cups if you're a member of the current Wales squad.
Dynamic flanker Justin Tipuric has revealed that good housekeeping between matches and training sessions is just one small area that new captain Alun Wyn Jones insists upon.
“I’ve been lucky enough to work with ‘Al’ at the Ospreys for a number of years now. He’s passionate and it’s all the off-field stuff you don’t really see with Al,” said Tipuric of the man who has taken over as skipper from Sam Warburton.
“He’s always setting standards. If someone leaves a coffee cup and it hasn’t been put away, then he’s setting those standards about being tight as a team.
“If we go out for food we go as a team and it’s little things like that.”
While Jones is the man others are following for now, Tipuric has had a senior role of his own to play this last week - mentoring squad newcomer Thomas Young, the Wasps back row star who won his first call-up ahead of the Six Nations following devastating Aviva Premiership form.
Tipuric revealed the five new faces – Olly Cracknell, Young, Owen Williams, Steff Evans and Ashton Hewitt – in the Wales squad for the Six Nations had all passed an initiation ceremony, presided over by centre Jamie Roberts.
“There was 30 seconds where the newcomers have to introduce themselves and any nicknames they’ve got,” said Tipuric.
“It’s stuff like that which sometimes can’t be very nice to do. You have to stand up in front of the coaches and the whole squad. There’s been a few good ones – Olly was alright.”
On being appointed openside flanker rival Young’s mentor, he said: “It’s just two No.7s.
“We’re trying to make it a bit easier for him to come into campaign and know the roles. It’s to help him with the calls, where he stands in the line-out and other stuff we’re running.
“He’s a good guy. From watching him, he’s been playing well for Wasps. He’s good on the ball.”
Tipuric hasn’t missed a tackle this season, for the Ospreys or Wales, but insisted: “I’ve just been lucky.
“The Ospreys have been going well, which just makes life a bit easier. I’m just enjoying it.
“Brad Davis (defence coach) has come in with the Ospreys this season and has been great for us the way we defend as a team. He’s added so much to the Ospreys and it’s all down to him really.”
The 27-year-old claimed gaining bonus points, which have been brought into this year’s Six Nations, wouldn’t be a priorty.
“You have to win the games first and then try and push on for the extra point,” said Tipuric.
“If teams try to play a bit more it might open a few games up to the end of the competition where you can see where you are and how many tries you need. Hopefully it will make it more exciting.
“Hopefully we can start with a bang and get into it from the word go, and can play some nice rugby in the right areas.”
