Alun Wyn Jones: Wales forward's performance singled out says Toby Booth

Alun Wyn Jones has won 150 Wales caps and also played in 12 Test matches for the British and Irish Lions

Ospreys coach Toby Booth is disappointed Alun Wyn Jones was criticised in Wales' defeat to Italy.

Jones started in the final game of the Six Nations after five months out with a shoulder injury he suffered against New Zealand.

He won his 150th cap, but was singled out after the shock 22-21 loss.

"If people are trying to hang a performance around an individual's neck, then I don't think that's correct," Booth said.

Wayne Pivac's Wales were lacklustre as the Italians sealed their first Six Nations win in seven years with a 79th-minute try by Edoardo Padovani.

But Booth defended 36-year-old Ospreys lock Jones as he added: "You win as a team and you lose as a team and coaches do things with the best intent.

"We can go through anyone's game and find things that we think aren't right. Ultimately the person who had to decide was Wayne.

"He's the person that worked with him on a daily basis so he must have thought he was good enough to play because he picked him.

"I don't think his performance warranted any more specific attention than others. I understand he's going to get that because that's who he is.

"But from our point of view we see him as a massive part of what we do. You don't get 150 caps by accident."

Ospreys face Lions on Friday night in the first of their two URC fixtures in South Africa, with Stormers their nxte opponents on Saturday, 2 April.

Booth said Jones and the region's other Wales internationals, who featured in the Six Nations squad, will each be considered for selection for the trip.

"We're in the process of deciding what's best for them after an international campaign, which is very difficult and as everyone knows had a very emotional end to it," Booth added.

"There's no point in bringing anyone out that's not in the right physical or mental frame of mind to perform well.

"Secondly there's always been a plan for people not to play in these two weeks - and I'm obviously not going to say who those are.

"This week is a good opportunity to assess where those players are so we can make those informed decisions."

George North has been on the sidelines for 11 months after suffering a serious knee injury

Wales back George North, though, will not be among the players travelling to South Africa for the two games.

He has not played since rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee against Cardiff in the Rainbow Cup last April.

Booth confirmed North, 29, had yet to resume full training and had suffered a "couple of setbacks".

But he added: "We don't think he's too far away. We're governed by the symptoms that happen once he trains, so we need to make sure we that we get control of that.

"We want players not back for a week, but back for good, so we've got to make sure we get ourselves in the position that we get healthy players that stay fit.

The Ospreys head coach was hopeful North would be back for the URC Welsh derbies, with Cardiff Rugby first up on 23 April.

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