Rugby legend appointed Honorary Colonel of Welsh battalion

His Majesty King Charles III has approved the appointment of Alun Wyn Jones OBE as Honorary Colonel of 3rd Battalion, The Royal Welsh.

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Alun Wyn Jones OBE has been appointed as Honorary Colonel of 3rd battalion, The Royal Welsh.

Alun Wyn Jones said he was “hugely flattered and humbled”, as well as “a little apprehensive”.

“It is an honour for us to bring into the fold a true Welsh warrior, who has served and led the national rugby team of Wales and The British and Irish Lions and the most capped rugby player in history."

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The former Wales and British and Irish Lions captain is the most capped rugby player in history, with 170 caps for appearances between 2006 and 2023.

Alun Wyn became Wales’ 129th captain when he led the side against Italy in the Six Nations tournament in 2009 and is one of only four players to have been selected on four British and Irish Lions tours, achieving 12 caps between 2009 and 2021.

In his role as Honorary Colonel, Alun Wyn Jones will serve as an ambassador for Wales, inspiring current and future generations of The Royal Welsh with his wealth of experience and leadership credibility. He takes over the position from Brigadier Russ Wardle OBE DL, the former head of the Army in Wales.

Colonel of the Regiment, Major General Chris Barry CBE, said: “I am proud to welcome Alun Wyn Jones to the Regimental family as the Honorary Colonel of 3rd Battalion The Royal Welsh – a position that has been personally approved by our Colonel in Chief, King Charles III.”

“It is an honour for us to bring into the fold a true Welsh warrior, who has served and led the national rugby team of Wales and The British and Irish Lions and the most capped rugby player in history. 

“We now look forward to building a long-lasting, two-way relationship between our 3rd Battalion and Alun Wyn Jones.

“The Regimental Headquarters, on behalf of all ranks of The Royal Welsh, would like to thank the outgoing Honorary Colonel of 3 Royal Welsh, Brigadier Russ Wardle OBE DL, for more than 11 years of outstanding leadership and service to the Regimental family. We wish him all the very best for the future.”

Alun Wyn Jones, who will wear military uniform in this role, said he was “hugely flattered and humbled”, as well as “a little apprehensive”.

“Having played in our great stadium and seeing the men and women in uniform holding our national flag, it was always a significant and poignant symbol of the history and connection to the military in Wales,” he said.

“There was also the iconic Royal Welsh Band serving to provide acoustics in the stadium, which is something that I enjoyed as much as a player as I continue to do now as a fan. 

“My apprehension was borne out of the responsibility felt while wearing the red jersey and all that comes with representing our nation.

“Learning more about the history of The Royal Welsh, particularly Sir Tasker Watkins who served in the Welch Regiment and his heroism and commitment to Wales and Welsh rugby, made it something I couldn’t turn down.

“I’m looking forward to learning more about 3 Royal Welsh and also share my experience of leadership in sport and the experience of leaving one career and moving into another.

“The fact that personnel serving with 3rd Battalion also have day jobs also sparked an awareness that Reservists are all around us in civilian life.
 
“Yes, the uniform I’ll wear in this role will be very different to what I’m used to, but one I will be equally proud to wear as any jersey in my playing career and represent 3 Royal Welsh and Wales.”

Lieutenant Colonel Mark Adams, Commanding Officer 3 Royal Welsh, said: “It is an honour to welcome Alun Wyn Jones as Honorary Colonel of the 3rd Battalion The Royal Welsh.

“As Wales’ only Reserve Infantry battalion, we draw our strength from communities across the nation, forging leaders and building resilient teams ready to reinforce the Army.

“Alun Wyn’s exceptional record of leading high-performing teams speaks directly to our own ethos — loyalty to our family, pride in our heritage, determination to succeed, courage in adversity, and an unyielding readiness for whatever challenges lie ahead.

“As a Regiment with a rich rugby heritage we know he will serve as a powerful source of inspiration to our soldiers. We look forward to forging a strong and enduring partnership that will benefit both our soldiers and the wider Welsh community.”

Brigadier Russ Wardle OBE DL, said: “There is no set job description to be an Honorary Colonel, but at its simplest, the job is to support the battalion in any way possible. 

“This includes visiting training, attending ceremonial events and taking opportunities to eulogize and reinforce the good work, commitment and value of Reservists and the work they do. 

“The main role though is to see what Reservists do, to listen to their stories and to encourage them and to be a positive role model.

“I’ve been privileged to hold the position of Honorary Colonel of 3 Royal Welsh for more than 11 years and the men and women of the battalion are exceptional people and truly twice the citizen, holding down civilian day jobs while giving up their spare time to prepare to defend the nation if called to do so. 

“Alun Wyn has a history of service to his country and he has widely-recognised leadership qualities – I can’t think of a more fitting person to enthuse, motivate and inspire the battalion than him. 

“He is truly the embodiment of the values and standards of The Royal Welsh and I wish him all the very best in his new role.”

Alun Wyn was named Player of the Tournament in the 2019 Six Nations Championship and was nominated for World Player of the Year in 2015 and 2019.

He was also voted the Welsh Sports Personality of the Year in 2019. He has five Six Nations titles, two Championships, three Grand Slams and four Triple Crowns to his name.

Since retirement from International Rugby, Alun Wyn has served as a Strategic Advisor to Swansea University, with a focus on performance, resilience and leadership. He is also a regular television pundit and has started his own rum company called Mimosa Rwm in 2023.