First-choice Lion left without a team after curious and rapid fall from favour

Wondering around Hout Bay, surrounded by seals basking in the sun, a group of travelling journalists were firing off texts and calls to stand up an unconfirmed rumour just hours before the Lions' first Test against the Springboks.

In those slightly bizarre surroundings, it quickly became apparent that Warren Gatland was about to face a hefty gut punch. Wyn Jones had been ruled out with a shoulder injury that had become infected, leaving him on a drip.

The Welsh loosehead wasn't as fashionable as others - google him and nine times out of 10, you'll find results for Alun Wyn instead - but on that day in 2021, this news felt big.

That memory comes to mind now, just under three years later, as Jones finds himself without a club after being released by the Scarlets. It marks a downturn in fortune almost as rapid as his rise.

In the space of five years, Jones went from playing for Llandovery to starting for the Lions - getting that honour in the third Test after overcoming his injury. Now, he could certainly head back to the Drovers - Welsh club rugby's all-conquering force - if he felt like it, given he's now in the business of weighing up his options.

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Of course, Jones likely still has some more time in professional rugby before he heads back to Church Bank, but he has a decision to make. It all begs the question of how, in the space of nearly three years, it came to this.

Almost immediately after his high point with the Lions, his fitness levels were being questioned back with Wales. After being named on the bench for back-to-back autumn matches against South Africa and Fiji, then coach Wayne Pivac sent a public message to the Scarlets prop.

"(T)here’s work to be done on our side. I think we’ve come in undercooked," he said. “Wyn Jones, coming back from the Lions, knows he has got a bit of work to do to get to the full fitness levels required to play at Test level."

Even so, despite those comments, Jones ended the year being named in World Rugby's dream team.

The following year's Six Nations saw Jones start the first three games, before being replaced by Gareth Thomas for the last two. He'd remain on the bench for the summer tour of South Africa, before missing the 2022 autumn campaign through injury.

As the 2023 Six Nations brought change with Gatland replacing Pivac, Jones enjoyed a return to the starting side - wearing the number one jersey in three of the matches - but it was short-lived.

When Gatland named his World Cup training squad, Jones' name wasn't listed. “There is no doubt he has had some injuries,” Gatland said of Jones at the time.

“Leading up to 2021 he was in outstanding form and playing well, we are just looking for some competition and a little bit more mobility in that position. We are looking for guys winning collisions and having that work-rate around the field we think is important at this level.

“There is no doubt the game has changed. The number of scrums is nowhere near as many as they used to be so you need to have a front five, particularly front rowers, that can scrummage but can get around the park.

“They have got to contribute a huge amount in terms of their mobility. That’s a big part we need to improve and was an area that when we reflected back and reviewed the Six Nations was probably our biggest work on in terms of moving forward.”

For his own part, Jones admitted he was keen to use the World Cup disappointment as motivation. However, he started the season covering tighthead prop - coming off the bench in the position in four of the Scarlets' first five matches of the season.

The prop, known as 'Sausage', didn't complain about matters - getting on with the task at hand.

"When Peely asked me whether I was happy to jump across and try a bit at tight-head I was more than happy to," said Jones at the time.

"It probably adds a string to my bow and as I get older, it's something that gives me an extra driver or challenge and I've quite enjoyed it so far.

"They are very different positions but my experience at loose-head probably helps me out at tight-head.

"When I look at what tight-heads have done to me in the past and didn't like, I can try and put that into practice. It is those little tricks you only get when you are playing."

Even with the minutes on the other side of the scrum, Jones was still in talks to stay at Parc y Scarlets prior to Christmas. Jones had called the deal he signed in Llanelli in 2021 an "easy decision", but as gametime became harder to come by, it became apparent there would be a decision to make.

This season, Jones has started just four times for the Scarlets as he struggled to fit into Dwayne Peel's plans. It became apparent months ago he'd be leaving.

Quite when Jones' next destination is revealed remains to be seen. He has been linked with some English clubs - some with more substance than others - but there's nothing definitive yet.

There isn't necessarily a booming market for looseheads and, with the likes of Worcester, Wasps and London Irish going to the wall in recent years, it's more saturated than ever.

Bath and Leicester had shown some interest in Jones, but the former have signed Francois van Wyk from the latter. In turn, Leicester then Wales international Nicky Smith from the Ospreys.

And then, another loosehead who struggled for minutes at the Scarlets, Steff Thomas, has joined the Ospreys for next season. Sometimes that's the nature of the loosehead merry-go-round.

Hailing from a farming background, Jones likely isn't the type to rush into whatever's next. The 32-year-old will make sure whatever comes next is the right choice for him.

But it all seems a far cry from that July morning in Hout Bay, when the rugby universe seemingly centered on the loosehead.