Topic: Ryan Jones

Ryan Paul Jones (born 13 March 1981 in Newport) is a Welsh international rugby union player who plays at number eight for the Ospreys. He is able to cover Blindeside Flanker and second row; as he played Second Row in his younger days as he was kept out of his preferred number 8 role by Gareth Delve.

Jones played junior football for Bristol 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 matches for South London Storm in 2000.

Jones started his career with the Celtic Warriors. 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.