Huw Jones ‘best in the world’ claim as Scotland centre explains decision to turn down 'tempting' move to France

Scotland star opens up on signing new Glasgow contract amid interest from Montpellier

Huw Jones, right, during a Scotland training session at Oriam. He is likely to be partnered in the centre by Cam Redpath, left, against Italy on Saturday. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

He’s signed a new deal with Glasgow Warriors, is flying for Scotland and there’s a baby on the way, so life is pretty sweet for Huw Jones at the moment, both on and off the pitch.

His value to the national team seems to increase with each passing season and the fact that he is improving with age is no coincidence. The 30-year-old attributes it to good coaching but those who work with the centre say that it is his willingness to take on information and work on his game that has put him in the position of being one of the first names on Gregor Townsend’s team-sheet.

He will have a new midfield partner alongside him for Saturday’s Six Nations match with Italy in Rome after injury ruled out Sione Tuipulotu but Jones is unlikely to be fazed.

Pete Horne, the Scotland assistant coach who also worked alongside Jones at Glasgow, believes it’s the player’s “attention to detail” which has raised his performance levels. While Jones garners most attention for his spectacular running lines, like the one which set up Duhan van der Merwe for his first try against England, it’s his work on defence and the more mundane aspects of the game that most pleases his coaches.

“Huw always plays well,” said Horne. “I feel like his attention to detail in the unflashy things has just gone way up from when he was younger. You take that stuff for granted because of his X-factor [ability] but the pride he now takes in that stuff has elevated him.

“Now he’s so consistently good that his X-factor stuff is just a little bonus when he does give you one of those big linebreaks every game. It’s all the other bits of his game that are at such a level, he picks himself. He’s going really well. I’m really proud of him.

“He gets a rep for being that flashy player but he does so much of the stuff that goes amiss – like outworking the opposition defence to make another pair of hands, to run a dummy line. His running lines are the best in the world. He’s flying just now and long may that continue.”

Having burst into the national team with a flurry of tries in 2017 and 2018, Jones then dropped out of favour for a spell. He was overlooked for the 2019 World Cup and questions were asked about his defending. It is an area of his game he has worked hard on. A season at Harlequins was beneficial but he credits the guidance of Steve Tandy and Pete Murchie, defensive coaches with Scotland and Glasgow respectively, for his improvement. He has been a mainstay for the national side over the last couple of seasons, reward for his excellent club form under Franco Smith since returning to the Warriors.

“I think throughout my career I’ve received some really good coaching, and I’ve had players around me that I’ve learnt off as well,” said Jones. “I’ve certainly improved across my career. I feel like I’m still improving as well.

“I think when I went down to Quins I grew a lot as a player there, and since coming back I think I’ve still got better. I really rate the coaches at Glasgow, I love what Franco is doing. We train very hard, but it’s good and it’s translating onto the field, which is the positive thing.

“And I think the coaching is great with Scotland as well. I think I’ve grown massively with my defence, and Steve Tandy has been huge for that. We have a similar defensive system and coaching with Pete Murchie at Glasgow, so I think to be staying in that system is really good for me.”

Jones put pen to paper on a new two-year contract with Glasgow last week amid interest from Montpellier. The centre says he was tempted by a move to France but the chance to try to help the Warriors win a major trophy was too good a chance to turn down.

“I feel like we’ve got a great thing growing at Glasgow, here at Scotland as well,” he said. “Glasgow - we’re a top team right now, we can win something this season, but if not I’ve got two more years to win. It’s an exciting time for the club and I’m happy to be staying around.

“I’ve said in the past that I’d be open to a move to France, and it was certainly tempting. But I think, like you do with all big decisions, you’ve got to weigh up the pros and cons. And I think when it came down to it, it was a rugby decision. I thought it would be a shame to pass up what’s happening at Glasgow at the moment.”

“It’s nice to be staying put,” he added. “We’ve got a baby on the way in the next couple of weeks, we’re pretty settled in Glasgow.”

Jones says that he is “gutted” that Tuipulotu, his great friend and on-field partner, has been ruled out for the rest of the Six Nations but is confident he can quickly gel with a new inside centre against Italy, be it Cam Redpath or Stafford McDowall.

“I think me and Sione do have a very good partnership and we play a lot together but we’re always training with the group so within the drills you are getting plenty of reps with the other centres,” he said.

“You’re mixing and matching your positions and moving around so you have to be pretty adaptable. Cam’s come off the bench in the last couple of games so I’ve played with him a bit and I’ve played with Staff quite a lot at Glasgow.

“It is a shame to lose Sione but we should make it so it’s not too much of a difference. The way we train should hopefully translate on to the field.”