Testimonial year: Ryan Jones
Ospreys stalwart Ryan Jones has been granted a testimonial year by the Welsh region.
The versatile British & Irish Lions and Wales back five forward - who has scored six tries in 39 Heineken Cup appearances and captained his country a record 29 times - will mark the start of his special year with a formal launch event at the Millennium Stadium on Wednesday, January 16.
"I am honoured and extremely humbled to have been handed a testimonial by the Ospreys," said 31-year-old Jones, who has been an ever present during this season's Heineken Cup campaign and has played 135 times for the region.
"It promises to be a wonderful and memorable year for not just me but for my family as well, who have been a big inspiration for me and have shared the highs and lows of my career.
"I've been extremely fortunate to have enjoyed a long and successful career, not only with the Ospreys, but with Wales and the Lions, and rugby has given me a chance to experience things and go places I could never have imagined.
"The public have never shown me anything but 100 per cent support throughout my career, which I truly appreciate, and I hope to share my testimonial year with them through some wonderful events."
The Welsh Guards Afghanistan Appeal will be the official charity of the testimonial year, with the charity benefiting financially from the partnership.
Andrew Hore, the Ospreys' chief operations officer, said: "Ryan is a wonderful servant to the Ospreys and his country, and to rugby in general.
"His record speaks for itself, his achievements in the game are testament to the hard work and effort he puts in every day, constantly striving to improve.
"He remains one of our most reliable performers, someone who leads by example on the field."
Comments
skatercat says...
Well deserved Ryan.The most underrated player in the UK, all round nice guy and Wales Mr. Consistent.
Posted 00:06 02nd January 2013