The cornerstone of the British & Irish Lions pack in South Africa has tipped his Ospreys team-mate Ryan Bevington to become a future Test star.
Adam Jones came off the bench in the first Test on the 2009 tour, shoring up the Lions scrum, earning plenty of praise and a second Test start in the process.
The 29-year-old’s form continued in Loftus Versfeld where Jones dominated up-front before suffering a second-half injury that ended his tour.
And Wales’s most capped tight head of all time believes Bevington is a player to watch for the future – one who could very well follow in Jones’ own footsteps.
“Ryan Bevington is going to be a fantastic player,” Jones told the South Wales Evening Post.
“If there’s a quicker prop in the world, I would be very surprised. And he is strong too. He’s done well when he’s played for us and is definitely one to look out for.”
The 21-year-old was part of an Ospreys front row which had Ulster on the back foot in the opening round of the Magners League and the former Wales Under 20 loose-head keeps his place for the visit of Benetton Treviso to the Liberty Stadium this weekend.
With 18 appearances to his name already, Bevington has impressed not only in the tight but with his work rate and defence around the park, both of which received high praise after the defeat at Ravenhill.
“He has made a lot of progress quickly and towards the end (of the last season), he was coming on and making a big impact,” said Bevington’s team-mate Jonathan Thomas.
“He’s someone who has done particularly well. He’s incredibly strong in the gym and is probably the quickest prop I have seen.
“Last year he came on incredibly well. Not only is he really keen, he soaks up everything and listens. If he can continue doing that he'll have a very bright future.”
