Ryan Jones
Encyclopedia
Ryan Paul Jones is a Welsh
international rugby union
player who plays at number eight for the Ospreys. He is able to cover blindside flanker and second row; he played second row in his younger days as he was kept out of his preferred number 8 role by Gareth Delve
.
as a goalkeeper until the age of 14. He took up rugby union at age 17 to be with his friends at Risca RFC. He also played a couple of rugby league
matches for South London Storm in 2000.
. In 2004, when the Celtic Warriors
were disbanded he was offered a contract with the Ospreys, who went on to win the Celtic League
in 2004–05 and its replacement, the Magners League in 2006–07. Jones was appointed captain of the Ospreys at the start of the 2007–08 season and under his captaincy the team went on to win the EDF Energy Cup
in 2007–08, beating Leicester Tigers
in the final at Twickenham
and the Magners League for the third time in 2009–10, beating Leinster
at the RDS
in Dublin in the play-off final. He was succeeded as captain by his Wales
and British Lions
colleague Alun-Wyn Jones at the start of the 2010–11 season.
against South Africa
in November 2004. He featured in Wales' 2005 Grand Slam-winning side.
Many supporters were surprised when he was not initially selected for the 44-man squad for the Lions tour of New Zealand
. He was later called up to cover for the injured Simon Taylor
. After his performance in the 30–19 win over Otago
he was selected for the squad for the first test. He came on as a replacement and went on to start in the final two tests.
In January 2008, Jones was appointed captain of Wales by new coach Warren Gatland
. In his first Six Nations tournament as captain, he led his team to a second Grand Slam in four years.
In April 2009, Jones was omitted from the 2009 British & Irish Lions
tour to South Africa. He was subsequently called up to join the squad on 9 June after Stephen Ferris pulled out with a knee injury, however within days of arriving in South Africa he was declared unfit by the Lions medical team due to head injuries he had sustained in a previous Wales test match.
He was named captain of the Welsh team for the Autumn internationals in 2009, when the side faced New Zealand, Samoa
, Argentina
and Australia
.
.
On 11 July 2009, he married his long time girlfriend Ailsa, a physiotherapist at Swansea City
.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
international rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player who plays at number eight for the Ospreys. He is able to cover blindside flanker and second row; he played second row in his younger days as he was kept out of his preferred number 8 role by Gareth Delve
Gareth Delve
Gareth Leon Delve is a Wales international rugby union player. In 2010 he captained Gloucester in the English Guinness Premiership, before moving to Australia where he became vice captain of the Melbourne Rebels. His usual position is number 8...
.
Early life
Jones played junior football for Bristol CityBristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
as a goalkeeper until the age of 14. He took up rugby union at age 17 to be with his friends at Risca RFC. He also played a couple of rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
matches for South London Storm in 2000.
Club career
Jones started his career with the Celtic WarriorsCeltic Warriors
The Celtic Warriors were a regional rugby union team from Wales, who played in the Celtic League and Heineken Cup between 2003 and 2004.-History:The Warriors were one of the five original regions of the Welsh Regional Rugby Era...
. In 2004, when the Celtic Warriors
Celtic Warriors
The Celtic Warriors were a regional rugby union team from Wales, who played in the Celtic League and Heineken Cup between 2003 and 2004.-History:The Warriors were one of the five original regions of the Welsh Regional Rugby Era...
were disbanded he was offered a contract with the Ospreys, who went on to win the Celtic League
Celtic League (rugby union)
The Celtic League is an annual rugby union competition involving professional sides from Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
in 2004–05 and its replacement, the Magners League in 2006–07. Jones was appointed captain of the Ospreys at the start of the 2007–08 season and under his captaincy the team went on to win the EDF Energy Cup
EDF Energy Cup
The Anglo-Welsh Cup, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the LV Cup , is an English and Welsh rugby union knock-out cup competition featuring the twelve Aviva Premiership clubs and four Welsh Regions...
in 2007–08, beating Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
in the final at Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
and the Magners League for the third time in 2009–10, beating Leinster
Leinster
Leinster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the east of Ireland. It comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Mide, Osraige and Leinster. Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the historic fifths of Leinster and Mide gradually merged, mainly due to the impact of the Pale, which straddled...
at the RDS
RDS
RDS may refer to:*Amazon Relational Database Service, Amazon's cloud-based Relational Database Service*Radio Data System*Radio Dimensione Suono, an Italian radio station*Random dot stereogram, a form of 3-D image*SAP Rapid Deployment Solutions, from SAP AG...
in Dublin in the play-off final. He was succeeded as captain by his Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and British Lions
British Lions
British Lions may refer to:*Lions , the lion is a traditional symbol of Great Britain, although it also used as a symbol in various other cultures* British Lions , a 1978 album by former members of Mott the Hoople and Medicine Head...
colleague Alun-Wyn Jones at the start of the 2010–11 season.
International career
He made his international debut for WalesWales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
against South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
in November 2004. He featured in Wales' 2005 Grand Slam-winning side.
Many supporters were surprised when he was not initially selected for the 44-man squad for the Lions tour of New Zealand
2005 British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand
In 2005 the British and Irish Lions rugby union team toured New Zealand for the first time since 1993, playing 7 tour matches against first and second division clubs from the National Provincial Championship series, 1 tour match against the national New Zealand all Māori club, and 3 official test...
. He was later called up to cover for the injured Simon Taylor
Simon Taylor (rugby player)
Simon Marcus Taylor is a Scottish professional rugby union footballer for Bath Rugby. He is a back-row forward, usually a number eight. He played for Edinburgh for six seasons between 2000 and 2006 and in 2007 agreed a three year deal with Stade Français joining them immediately after the 2007...
. After his performance in the 30–19 win over Otago
Otago Rugby Football Union
The Otago Rugby Football Union is the official governing body of rugby union for the Otago Region of New Zealand. The union is based in the city of Dunedin, and its home ground is Forsyth Barr Stadium. The top representative team competes in the ITM Cup, New Zealand's top provincial...
he was selected for the squad for the first test. He came on as a replacement and went on to start in the final two tests.
In January 2008, Jones was appointed captain of Wales by new coach Warren Gatland
Warren Gatland
Warren David Gatland is a former New Zealand rugby footballer and the current head coach of the Wales national team.Gatland was born in Hamilton, New Zealand and educated at Hamilton Boys' High School and Waikato University...
. In his first Six Nations tournament as captain, he led his team to a second Grand Slam in four years.
In April 2009, Jones was omitted from the 2009 British & Irish Lions
2009 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa
The 2009 British and Irish Lions Tour to South Africa was an international rugby union tour which took place in South Africa from May to July 2009....
tour to South Africa. He was subsequently called up to join the squad on 9 June after Stephen Ferris pulled out with a knee injury, however within days of arriving in South Africa he was declared unfit by the Lions medical team due to head injuries he had sustained in a previous Wales test match.
He was named captain of the Welsh team for the Autumn internationals in 2009, when the side faced New Zealand, Samoa
Samoa national rugby union team
The Manu Samoa is the men's representative side of the Samoa Rugby Union in both the 15's and the 7's for international competitions. The Samoa Rugby Union is owned by the affiliated rugby unions of Samoa. In Samoa, Manu Samoa is in honour of a famous Samoan warrior. From 1924 to 1997 Samoa was...
, Argentina
Argentina national rugby union team
The Argentina national rugby team, nicknamed Los Pumas, represents Argentina in international rugby union matches. The team, which plays in sky blue and white jerseys, is organised by the Argentine Rugby Union .Argentina played its first international rugby match in 1910 against a touring British...
and Australia
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
.
Personal life
His father, Steven Jones, was a police officer in the Gwent Constabulary, based in CwmbranCwmbran
Cwmbrân is a new town in Wales. Today forming part of the county borough of Torfaen and lying within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire, Cwmbrân was established in 1949 to provide new employment opportunities in the south eastern portion of the South Wales Coalfield. Cwmbrân means Crow...
.
On 11 July 2009, he married his long time girlfriend Ailsa, a physiotherapist at Swansea City
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
.