He wanted to be a Gazza...then Ieuan inspired him

14 April 2012

When England captain Mike Catt made his international debut back in 1994, a career in rugby had not even occurred to Ryan Jones. The starstruck youngster was too busy dreaming of being Wales' answer to Boris Becker or Paul Gascoigne.

Alas, there would be no place in the Wimbledon final or football World Cup for the Ospreys No 8. But two years ago he landed a Grand Slam as a Test novice.

On Saturday will be his first start against England, but as part of a Welsh team trying to avoid an RBS Six Nations whitewash.

Jones, 26, was in the stands when England played Wales in Cardiff 14 years ago. "Growing up, I used to come to the old Arms Park," he recalls.

"I remember standing on the terraces watching Wales-England— the game when Ieuan Evans scored the winning try.

"I had watched matches on TV before with my old man but that was the first time I really understood how much it all meant.

"I wasn't really a rugby fan. I wanted to be Boris Becker, I wanted to be Gazza, I wanted to be different people in different sports — whoever was on top of their game.

"I would sometimes chuck a rugby ball around at school, but I wasn't playing properly. Tennis and football were my passions."

Jones had a 25-minute cameo role in the nerve-shredding win over England in 2005, but this time he is more in tune with the aura around this intense rivalry.

He said: "There is a special buzz. Everyone wants to come to this. My phone has been going mad this week."

A victory over England would go some way to winning back fans, angry and frustrated after four successive defeats, especially the capitulation against Scotland.

"After the Scotland game, one guy came up to me and asked for his money back." he said. "We are in the entertainment business now and when things go wrong, people want to know why.

"This will certainly make the good times feel sweeter. I have found it difficult to deal with because this is the first time I have experienced it. But sometimes it is good to experience the lows because you don't want to go back there.

"It has been a jolt to the system. I probably was a little bit naive, thinking it was all roses. The Grand Slam happened so soon in my career, so much came along so fast.

"Everyone loves a pat on the back and they were coming thick and fast, whereas now there aren't so many, but that's sport."

Jones returned from the 2005 Lions tour "feeling 10 feet tall" after unexpectedly forcing his way into the Test team as an explosive back row ball carrier, but missed much of last season through injury.

"I think I'm a better rugby player than two years ago," he said. "My understanding of the game has improved a lot. But people are more aware of me now, so I have been struggling to deal with that extra attention.

"I think I have been playing well, but unfortunately I am judged by how many times I run with the ball. If I don't do that, people think I have played badly, but we haven't had too much possession so I haven't had the platform to stamp my influence."

He will be desperate for that platform on Saturday, to show the Welsh public he is a bona fide sporting star, which is all he ever wanted to be.

Ryan Jones was speaking at a Gillette Team Wales appearance. Gillette Fusion is the Official Male Grooming Partner of Wales Rugby. www.mygillette.co.uk

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