Adam Jones (rugby union, born 1981)

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For other people named Adam Jones, see Adam Jones (disambiguation).

Adam Jones
Birth nameAdam Rhys Jones
Date of birth (1981-03-08) 8 March 1981 (age 44)
Place of birthAbercraf, Wales
Height6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight120 kg (18 st 13 lb; 260 lb)
SchoolMaesydderwen Comprehensive School, Coleg Sir Gar
Rugby union career
Position(s)
Prop
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2000–2003 Neath 40 (10)
2003–2014 Ospreys 195 (15)
2014–2015
Cardiff Blues
 24 (0)
2015–2018 Harlequins 30 (0)
Correct as of 24 February 2017
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2003–2014 Wales 95 (10)
2009, 2013 British & Irish Lions 5 (0)
2015 Barbarians 2 (0)
Correct as of 14 June 2014
Coaching career
Years Team
2018– Harlequins (Scrum Coach)
2025 Wales (Scrum consultant)

Adam Rhys Jones (born 8 March 1981) is a Welsh former professional international rugby union player for Wales and the British & Irish Lions. He is currently scrum coach for Premiership Rugby club Harlequins and scrum consultant for Wales for the 2025 Six Nations.[1][2]

He is one of a small group of Welsh players to have won three Grand Slams, including Gerald Davies, Gareth Edwards, J. P. R. Williams, Ryan Jones, Gethin Jenkins and Alun Wyn Jones.[3]

Club career

Jones began his career with Neath before switching to the Ospreys with the regionalisation of Welsh rugby in 2003.

In his early career Jones was often criticised for a lack of scrummaging power, but he has answered those critics with several seasons of dogged and dependable work in the front row of both Wales and the Ospreys. He developed the ability to scrum very low, and to manipulate his weight positioning, in order to drive the loosehead's head towards his left knee.

After the

Welsh regions and the WRU was resolved. On 19 August 2014, he was unveiled as a new signing by Cardiff Blues.[4]

International

Following several successful seasons at club level, Jones received a call up to the Wales squad in 2003, making his debut as a replacement against England during the 2003 Six Nations.

Jones almost immediately pinned down the No.3 jersey and was selected for Wales' World Cup squad at the end of 2003. He featured in all of Wales' games at the tournament, starting in the crucial group games against Italy and New Zealand and the quarter final loss to England. At the time, fears over Jones' fitness led to him only playing the first half of games, a trend that he emphatically ended as his career developed.

Jones continued to hold down the starting tighthead spot through the 2004 Six Nations and autumn Internationals. In 2005, Jones was a key member of the Welsh Grand Slam-winning side, starting all five of Wales' games en route to their historic achievement, it was alongside Gethin Jenkins that he provided a platform for the side in 2005.

Jones was a solid presence during the 2006 Six Nations, and was also one of the senior squad members for Wales' summer tour to Argentina. Following a difficult tournament for Wales in the 2007 Six Nations, Jones was selected for his second World Cup in the autumn of 2007.

In that year's World Cup Jones played in the group stage against Canada and Australia, but was dropped in favour of Worcester's Chris Horsman for the crucial final group game against Fiji. Bouncing back from the disappointment of the World Cup, Jones played in four of Wales' games on their way to the Grand Slam in the 2008 Six Nations.

Jones' improvement under the guidance of

Courtney Meredith on the 1955 Lions tour. Jones was sent home after the 2nd test match with South Africa in which they lost 28–25 after dislocating his right shoulder.[6] Jones was sidelined for six months with the injury and had surgery on torn shoulder ligaments.[7]
During the two Tests, Jones was on the field for 81 minutes, during which the British Lions scored 30 points and conceded 15. In his absence, the Lions scored 16 points and conceded 39.

His effort was ended by a dislocated shoulder suffered during the game after a challenge from Springboks lock Bakkies Botha and he was ruled out of the third Test. Jones' shoulder injury came after Botha attempted to clear him from a ruck and the Bulls star was subsequently cited and banned for two weeks for the challenge. Jones was ruled out for six weeks with the injury, returning for the Ospreys at Christmas in 2009 and for Wales ahead of the 2010 Six Nations. Jones is well known for his front row partnership at the Ospreys and Wales with Duncan Jones (no relation). Together, they are affectionately known as the "Hair Bears", because of their recognisable hairdos.

In the May 2010 edition of Rugby World, it was reported he has 'slimmed down' to a 'svelte' 19 stones by cutting out junk food, beer and gaining focus in training.

In January 2011 the Ospreys prop was injured in the first half of the region's Heineken Cup loss to London Irish and scans confirmed ligament damage and a lay-off of eight weeks. He returned to the Wales squad for their final Six Nations match against France.

In August 2011 Jones was named in the 30-man squad for the

South Africa, Samoa, Fiji and Ireland before injuring his calf within the first 10 minutes of the semi-final against France
.

He returned to full fitness in December 2011, and did enough to earn selection for Wales' 35-man squad for the training camp in Poland prior to the 2012 Six Nations.

He was part of the 37-man squad for the 2013 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia.[8]

On 24 January 2015, Jones announced his retirement from international rugby.[9][10]

On 26 March 2015, it was announced that Jones would join

Aviva Premiership side Harlequins from the 2015–16 season.[11] Jones played for Harlequins until the end of the 2017–18 season, increasingly moving from playing to coaching during that time. Notably, on 8 October 2016, Jones was called up to the bench as a very late replacement for the game against Northampton Saints. Following a very early injury in the game Jones ended-up having to play nearly the whole match at loosehead, to considerable praise.[12]

Jones announced his complete retirement from the game on 25 March 2018, effective from the end of the 2017–18 season.[13]

International tries

Try Opponent Location Venue Competition Date Result
1  Scotland Cardiff, Wales Millennium Stadium 2004 Six Nations 14 February 2004 Win
2  England London, England Twickenham 2010 Six Nations 6 February 2010 Loss

Coaching career

Since 2018, Jones has been Harlequins Scrum and Transition coach.[14]

In January 2025, he joined the Wales coaching staff, on a secondment basis from Harlequins, as a scrum consultant ahead of the 2025 Six Nations.[15]

References

  1. ^ "Adam Jones Profile". Harlequins. Harlequins. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  2. ^ "Jones joins Wales as scrum consultant for Six Nations". Harlequins. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  3. ^ "Six Nations: Wales' Gethin Jenkins and Ryan Jones hail third Grand Slam". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 17 March 2012. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  4. ^ "Wales prop Adam Jones signs for Cardiff Blues after leaving Ospreys". 19 August 2014 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  5. ^ "British Lions Squad announced". Channel 4.com. 21 April 2009. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  6. ^ "South Africa 28–25 Lions". BBC Sport. 27 June 2009. Archived from the original on 29 June 2009. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  7. ^ "Prop Jones set for six months out". BBC Sport. 4 July 2009. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  8. ^ Paul Rees (30 April 2013). "Jonny Wilkinson turned down Lions chance, says Warren Gatland". London: Guardian. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
  9. ^ "British and Irish Lions prop Adam Jones retires from Wales duty". 24 January 2015 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  10. ^ "Wales and Lions prop Adam Jones has retired from international rugby". Guardian. 24 January 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  11. ^ "Wales and Lions prop Adam Jones set to join Harlequins next season". BBC Sport. 26 March 2015.
  12. ^ Woolford, Anthony (9 October 2016). "Adam Jones played in a new position and was absolutely incredible". walesonline. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
  13. ^ "Adam Jones: Wales and Lions prop to retire from rugby union". BBC Sport. 25 March 2018. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
  14. ^ "Adam Jones Profile". Harlequins. Harlequins. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  15. ^ "Jones joins Wales as scrum consultant for Six Nations". Harlequins. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
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