Ryan Jones awarded Testimonial by Ospreys

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 Ospreys v Zebre RaboDirect PRO12 match at the Liberty Stadium on Friday 4th January, before a formal launch event at the Millennium Stadium on Wednesday 16th January.

There will be a number of high profile events in Wales, England, and beyond, during what promises to be an exciting year for Ryan, 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 31st January ahead of the opening Six Nations weekend.

"I am honoured and extremely humbled to have been handed a testimonial by the Ospreys"said Jones, who has played 135 times for the region.

"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 per cent 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, with the charity benefiting financially from the partnership.

Ryan's relationship with the Welsh Guards began during summer 2012, when he took time out from Wales' tour of Australia to pen a personal letter to 1st Battalion Welsh Guards who were stationed in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

He was moved to write the letter in order to express his heartfelt sympathy for the family of Lance Corporal Lee Davies, who had been shot dead by a rogue policeman the previous month.

Following that letter he was invited to the Welsh Guards' barracks to meet with soldiers and their families, where he found out about their Afghanistan Appeal, helping soldiers, and the families of soldiers, who have been injured or killed on active duty in Afghanistan. He agreed to assist with their WAGS on Wheels Bastion to Blighty 2012 fundraising event in the autumn of 2012, before confirming this very worthy cause as the official charity of his testimonial year.

"The ongoing conflict has touched the lives of everybody, bringing home the true horrors of warfare" added Jones.
"Since getting involved with the Welsh Guards earlier this year I've seen the personal tragedy that it causes, but more importantly, I've witnessed the fantastic work of their Afghanistan Appeal and how it can make such a difference to those who the conflict has impacted on. Through my Testimonial Year I hope to raise both awareness and much needed funds that will enable them to do even more great work."

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 EDF 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 & Irish Lions, during the 2005 New Zealand tour.

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."

More information can be found at the official Ryan Jones 2013 website, www.ryanjones2013.com; on Twitter @2013ryanjones; and at the official Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ryanjones2013.