Wales lock Alun-Wyn Jones began his career with Swansea in 2005, picking up the award for Young Player of the Season at the end of the 2005/6 Welsh Premiership season. Jones soon graduated into the Ospreys regional side, playing 15 games in his first season with the region.

Jones exhibits all of the attributes for a world class lock, at 6'6" and over 18 stone he is hugely powerful, but also athletic and immensely passionate. His international debut came on the blindside flank against Argentina on Wales' summer tour in 2006.

Jones was then selected for Wales' 2006 Autumn Internationals, starting against the Pacific Islands and featuring as a replacement against Canada and New Zealand. Jones then featured in every one of Wales' 2007 Six Nations matches before making the squad for the World Cup in France later that year.

He made try-scoring appearances against Canada and Japan at the tournament, also starting in the crucial losses to Australia and Fiji. Following the World Cup Jones was selected by new Wales coach Warren Gatland in the second row for the 2008 Six Nations game with England.

He helped Wales to a famous victory at Twickenham, but sustained an injury that ruled him out of the subsequent ties against Scotland and Italy. Returning to the fray against Ireland, Jones was on hand to help Wales win the Triple Crown before packing down for the win over France that sealed the Grand Slam.

Jones was then selected for Wales' tour to South Africa in the summer of 2008, starting both tests. Although still young, Jones has already shown leadership qualities that belie his youth. With his aggressive ball carrying and excellent lineout work he should be a fixture of the Wales setup for years to come.

During the 2008 Six Nations Jones was selected as Wales captain for their trip to Rome, deputising for Ryan Jones.

Selected for the 2009 Lions tour of South Africa and made the XV for the first Test defeat in Durban. He was dropped to the bench after the first Test defeat and made two replacement appearances in the remaining Tests.

He returned to Wales duty in November and almost inspired a shock comeback against New Zealand with a long-range interception, only to be thwarted by All Black wing Zac Guildford.

In 2010 he was retained in the squad for the Six Nations but arguably cost Wales their opening game against England at Twickenham by being sin-binned for a blatant trip on Dylan Hartley, with the hosts scored 17 points during his time off the field.

However he quickly regained the trust of Warren Gatland and started against New Zealand and Australia during Wales' November internationals, before playing a central role in their 2011 Six Nations campaign.

In April 2011 he rejected overtures from several clubs in France to sign a new three-year contract with the Ospreys.

Scrum Staff