Martin Johnson has urged new Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones to continue trusting in both his team, and his gut, after facing criticism for turning down a kick at goal in their loss to Scotland.

Jones was reportedly swayed in his decision to go for goal, by full-back Leigh Halfpenny who preferred a kick to the corner to rack up extra points and put more pressure on Scotland.

The end result was no points and a comeback win for Vern Cotter’s Scotland, but former British & Irish Lions skipper Johnson, who is running the rule over all home nations candidates for this summer’s Tour to New Zealand, said Jones should not be affected by the crucial decision not going to plan.

“You question everything you done and I think he said the kickers said they didn’t fancy their chances,” said Johnson.

“He backs the team and it didn’t happen. Did they not execute well enough? Or make a mistake in the execution?

“These are the things we don’t know so you can second guess those all the time, sometimes you go with a bit of gut as well. 

“As a captain you need to step away from the bravado and think where the game is, some of that you can’t measure, some of that is not stats, it’s score board, time, fatigue and where you think they are - but you have just got to make those calls and we have all got them right and all got them wrong.

“It’s the execution that makes it right or wrong.”

And while Wales now have two losses from their three games so far this spring, Johnson is not overly concerned at their plight, saying it will take time to bed new players in to what had become an established order.

“You are never that far away,” he added. “They have a lot of guys that are relatively new after having a team that has been consistent for quite a long time, but is still relying a lot on Jones, Warburtons and the guys that have been there, like Jonathan Davies.

"I don’t think are as deep as they have been, but the guys will improve as time goes on and they could win their last games.

“There is no team that doesn’t have a chance of winning their last two games if they get it right - it’s close.”

Johnson also still believes that Wales, despite losses to both England and Scotland, have genuine Lions contenders.

He picked Sam Warburton in his team of the week, thanks to his 15 tackles made, one offload, two turnovers won and four lineouts safely taken.

And in scrum-half Rhys Webb he believes Wales still have the leading contender for the number nine Test jersey.

“Sam was in a difficult game for the Wales back line, Scotland were there putting people under pressure, but he had some decent carries,” Johnson concluded.

“But I picked him as a seven in my team and Sean O’Brien as a 6, you could pick either one of them.

“And a guy like Webb is always looking at getting things going; Connor Murray can do that as well but he is probably faster at getting the ball up and down.

“It gives you options for Warren, though, and Danny Care had good moments for England, but it was difficult for him as he was right in middle of everything that was happening.”

Martin Johnson is an Ambassador for British & Irish Lions Principal Partner Standard Life Investments.