Jones has been working with Kiwi sensation King since being appointed skills guru during the summer.

King has only made one appearance for New Zealand, against Wales four years ago and he does not look close to adding to that as the Kiwis have a policy of not picking players plying their trade outside New Zealand.

'Regan has to be right up there among the best centres I have seen in my time in rugby,' said Jones to The Western Mail.

Guscott was the series-winner for the Lions in Australia in 1989 and South Africa in 1997 while co-centre Gibbs was official player of the series against the Springboks and petrified New Zealand in 1993.

Jones rated for dual code international John Devereux highly and put him on a par with King

And, as he explained, that's for other reasons. 'Devs was a different type of centre. He was a big, physical man, a modern-day centre ahead of his time.

'Gibbsy had similar qualities but his power and dynamic pace off-the-mark in close quarters was a major strength. And Jerry (Guscott) was a glider.'