Ospreys hand Jones testimonial
Wales veteran Ryan Jones has been granted a Testimonial Year by the Ospreys in recognition of his services to rugby.
The 31-year old, who last month set a new record for the most games as captain of Wales, will officially launch his Testimonial Year at the Pro12 match between Ospreys and Zebre at the Liberty Stadium on Friday before 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 Jones.
“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 percent support throughout my career, which I truly appreciate, and I hope to share my Testimonial Year with them through some wonderful events that will create brand new memories for everyone involved.”
The Welsh Guards Afghanistan Appeal has been confirmed as the official charity of the Ryan Jones Testimonial Year.
Andrew Hore, Chief Operations Officer at the Ospreys, 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 everyday, constantly striving to improve.
“He remains one of our most reliable performers, someone who leads by example on the field, and we are delighted to honour that commitment by granting a Testimonial Year to Ryan in recognition of his service.”
Having made his debut for the Ospreys in a 34-17 win over Munster at St Helen’s on the opening day of the 2004/05 season, Jones has made 135 appearances for the Ospreys to date, scoring 19 tries, winning four Celtic League titles and an Energy Cup, beating Leicester Tigers at Twickenham.
In addition, he has 70 Wales caps to his credit and is one of a select band of players to have won three Grand Slams. He has also played three Tests for the British and Irish Lions during the 2005 New Zealand tour.
There will be a number of high profile events in Wales, England, and beyond, during what promises to be an exciting year for Jones, with the first major event, a 2013 Six Nations Grand Opening Dinner featuring guests from both the Irish and Welsh camps, taking place at Cardiff Arms Park on Thursday, January 31 ahead of the opening Six Nations weekend.