Stephen Jones (rugby player)

Infobox Rugby biography
name = Stephen Jones


caption =
birthname = Stephen Michael Jones
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1977|12|8
placeofbirth = Aberystwyth, Wales
dateofdeath =
placeofdeath =
height = convert|1.83|m|ftin|abbr=on
weight = convert|95|kg|stlb|abbr=on
ru_position = Fly-half|capital=yes / inside centre
ru_amateuryears =
ru_amateurclubs =
ru_amupdate =
ru_clubyears = 1996-2003
2004-2006
ru_proclubs = Llanelli RFC
Clermont
ru_clubcaps = ?
?
ru_clubpoints = (?)
(?)
ru_clubupdate =
ru_currentclub =
ru_province = Llanelli Scarlets
Llanelli Scarlets
ru_provinceyears = 2003-2004
2006-
ru_provincecaps = 12
33
ru_provincepoints = (146)
(328)
ru_provinceupdate = 18:13, 21 February 2008 (UTC)
ru_nationalteam = Wales
British and Irish Lions
ru_nationalyears = 1998-
2005
ru_nationalcaps = 71
3
ru_nationalpoints = (634)
(14)
ru_ntupdate = 18:13, 21 February 2008 (UTC)
ru_sevensnationalyears =
ru_sevensnationalteam =
ru_sevensnationalcaps(points) =
ru_sevensupdate =
ru_coachclubs =
ru_coachyears =
ru_coachupdate =
other =
occupation =
family =
spouse =
children =
relatives =
school =
university =

Stephen Michael Jones (born 8 December 1977 in Aberystwyth) is a Welsh rugby union footballer who plays at fly-half for Llanelli Scarlets and Wales. He has also played at inside centre on various occasions.

Club career

Llanelli RFC

Jones joined Llanelli RFC in 1996, staying there until the 2003–04 season. He played his last Welsh club season for the Llanelli Scarlets, the Llanelli side in the new Welsh regional setup. In his Welsh top-level career, he made more than 200 appearances and scored almost 2,000 points.

Clermont Auvergne

In 2004, he joined Clermont Auvergne, formerly known as Montferrand. After two years at Clermont he returned to play for the Scarlets in 2006.

He has had a successful club career both with Clermont Auvergne and the Llanelli Scarlets. At the former he was chosen by French journalists as the fly half of the season in his second year at the club. Now back at the Scarlets, Jones and the team had an excellent run in the Heineken Cup in 2007 and reached the semi-finals after tremendous wins home and away against Ulster and Toulouse, and a comfortable home victory against 2006 winners Munster in the quarter finals. Unfortunately, the Scarlets ultimately came unstuck against bogey side Leicester in the semi final.

Llanelli Scarlets

Stephen Jones has ended speculation over his future by signing a new three-year contract with the Llanelli Scarlets. He had been heavily linked with a move to French club Biarritz after triggering a clause in his contract allowing him to talk to other clubs.cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/my_club/llanelli_scarlets/7206314.stm|title=Jones signs new Scarlets contract|publisher=BBC|date=2008-01-24|accessdate=2008-01-25]

Representative career

Wales

Jones made his international debut for Wales in 1998 against South Africa. He is the second highest points scorer for Wales.

Jones played a prominent role in Wales' grand slam triumph of 2005. As Welsh fly half he scored the majority of the team's points, his best game being the victory in Paris in which he scored 14 points including a drop goal and made a searing 60 metre break which led to Martyn Williams' first try. In the championship decider against Ireland at the Millennium Stadium he scored another 19 points and steered Wales to their first Grand slam for 27 years. He was later named fly-half of the championship for 2005.

In October 2006 head coach Gareth Jenkins named Jones as captain to lead Wales through to the 2007 World Cup. On his appointment of Jones, Jenkins said "Stephen has all the attributes to make a magnificent captain of his country. He has the respect and regard of his players, leadership qualities that are evident for all to see and the talent and ability to lead from the front at game time".cite web |title=Jenkins names 32 man squad for Invesco Perpetual Series ... and Stephen Jones as captain |publisher=wru.co.uk |url=http://www.wru.co.uk/2_9049.php |accessdate=2006-10-21 ]

In the 2008 RBS Six Nations, Stephen Jones made 4 appearances in his second grandslam championship win with Wales. He put away 7 conversions and 10 penalties, adding up to 44 points, despite starting the tournament as second choice to James Hook.

British and Irish Lions

He was selected for the British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand. Although Jones was the on-form fly-half, the Head Coach, Sir Clive Woodward selected the barely match fit Jonny Wilkinson ahead of him. Many people in the Rugby world saw this as the wrong decision and many believed that Jonny Wilkinson should not even tour, let alone play, as at the time he had only recently recovered from a serious injury.

References

External links

* [http://www.scarlets.co.uk/the-region/PlayerDetails.aspx?ID=100606 Scarlets profile]
* [http://www.wru.co.uk/63_1787.php Wales profile]