Alun Wyn Jones targets sensational British and Irish Lions return
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Injured British and Irish Lions captain Alun Wyn Jones could yet make a "miracle" recovery and return for the tourists ahead of the tests against South Africa.
Jones was injured in last week's farewell Test against Japan at Murrayfield, the Lions skipper leaving the field after he hurt his left shoulder during a cleanout at the breakdown.
The injury forced Warren Gatland to call up Wales lock Adam Beard as a replacement for Jones and appointed Ireland scrum-half Conor Murray as his new tour captain.
Head coach Warren Gatland has now revealed that Jones could play some part in the Test series with doctors prepared to take a few risks with the treatment of his shoulder injury.
"Given his age, they think that they could potentially take a few shortcuts, more than you would do with a young player, if he picked up this type of injury at the start of his career," Gatland said.
"So he's kind of optimistic that a miracle may happen, and then he can get himself right.
"We're just going to assess it and see how the next couple of weeks goes in terms of that. I think the specialist said, when he had to look at it, that it wasn't quite as bad as he thought it would be.
"But not good enough, obviously, to come on tour to start with. And we needed a replacement, otherwise we would have put too much pressure on him and the other second rows.
"We're going to monitor that and as we come towards the end of the tour. Or if we pick up an injury and he's making amazing progress, something can happen -- you never know.
"So it's kind of one of those just wait and see situations."
