Ryan Jones will bounce back from his latest setback according to a fellow Lion.
Jones officially lost the Wales captaincy to Matthew Rees just moments after conceding the penalty that allowed Fiji to claim an historic draw at the Millennium Stadium last Friday.
The 2005 Test Lion described that period as the ‘worst 20 minutes of my rugby career’, with critics now questioning his future at international level.
But Ospreys and Wales team-mate Alun Wyn Jones is convinced that his namesake will come back stronger than ever as the World Cup begins to loom large.
“He’s a man of great resolve,” said Alun Wyn, who followed Ryan in becoming a Test Lion in 2009.
“I’ve played a lot of games alongside him. He was my first long-time international captain and club captain.
“He’ll take every criticism he receives and look at it in detail and turn it into a positive and work on his game.
“He’s done it before and he’ll do it again. It’s just another chapter in his playing career.”
Ryan did receive one piece of good news earlier today when he put pen to paper on a new deal with the Ospreys.
The 29-year-old has vowed to see out his career at the Liberty Stadium after signing a contract extension until the end of the 2013/14 season.
“Obviously I’m delighted that I’ve been able to agree this new contract and get everything signed up. I’ve always had fantastic support from everybody involved with the Ospreys and it’s where I feel is home, not only for me, but also for my family,” said the former Celtic Warriors star.
“The environment here is one that you want to feel a part of and the last few years have been great. I’ve got a fantastic relationship with our fans, together we’ve enjoyed some special memories over the last few years, as well as some not so good ones, and that has brought us closer together as a group.
“The Ospreys are my region, my team, and that will always be the case even when I’ve finished playing. I still believe that we are on the verge of something special with the set-up we have here. The players and the coaches are working hard together and I want to be a part of it. I don’t want to play anywhere else – this is where I want to see out my career.”
