Jones reveals New Year's resolution
Wales prop Adam Jones’s New Year's resolution is to earn a place in the British and Irish Lions squad for the upcoming tour of Australia.
Jones suffered a dislocated shoulder on his first Lions tour to South Africa in 2009 when Bakkies Botha cleaned out a ruck in the second Test.
The freak injury required major surgery and ruled Jones out of action for six months. The Springboks added insult to injury when they clinched the three-Test series 2-1, but Jones’ abiding memories of the South African safari are positive ones.
The triple Grand Slam winner proved his stature as one of the world’s finest tightheads during the tour and the way he outscrummaged Tendai Mwawarira in Pretoria prior to his injury has gone down in Lions folklore.
Now the veteran is desperate to secure a place in Warren Gatland’s squad to tour Down Under in June.
"If I can get on the Lions tour this year it would be brilliant," Jones told the South Wales Evening Post.
"I really enjoyed the last one, despite the injury.
"I wasn't expecting it to be like it was. The boys who went in 2005 didn't have fond memories, but the way it was organised in South Africa was great.
“It was good off the pitch and the rugby was really professional as well with the likes of Geech [Ian McGeechan], Gats [Warren Gatland], Howlers [Rob Howley] and Shaun [Edwards] running things.
"It was special to be involved and if I can make this one it would mean a lot."
Jones has had his fair share of close encounters with the Wallabies, including two Test wins, and he expects a nail-biting series.
“It should be a great series,” said the Ospreys stalwart.
"Australia always make it difficult for the teams they play. People were saying England and Wales would beat them in November, but the Wallabies are a hell of a tough team and they won both those Tests.
"If the Lions are to win down there, they'll have to play really well."
Jones, however, is well aware that the foundations to any potential involvement with the Lions will be laid first with the Ospreys and then Wales.
The Ospreys are alive and fighting in both their Pro12 defence and the European Cup, while Wales kick-off their bid to retain the Six Nations crown in February.
"If Wales can go well in the Six Nations again, that would be nice, not just for me and the other boys but for the whole country," added Jones.
"We've had a lot of stick over the past few weeks and months, but there's a lot of talent in the national squad and if we have luck with injuries there's no reason why we can't give a good account of ourselves again.
"The other big goal, up there with the Lions and Wales, is to have more success with the Ospreys.
"The region are my bread and butter, the side I play with every week, and if we can beat Leicester and Treviso it might just get us somewhere in Europe.
"There's also the Pro12. We enjoyed that last season, so why not have another crack at winning it?"
Source: lionsrugby.com
