Clubs battle to sign Jones

WALES and Lions fly-half Stephen Jones seems set to start a tug-of-war for his services with news he is considering leaving France to return home.

Jones, aged 28, turned his back on Llanelli Scarlets when he left them to join Clermont-Auvergne in August 2004.

But his contract with the French side expires at the end of this season.

Although Clermont are keen to keep the 51-cap player, the Scarlets and rival Welsh side Cardiff Blues are thought to be in negotiations with him.

A move back to the Scarlets, who have struggled to replace Jones, would reunite him with his Lions and Wales half-back partner Dwayne Peel.

But the Blues have demonstrated their ambitions with the signing of the likes of New Zealand legend Jonah Lomu and are well able to match the contract sum of £200,000 (€289,000) to £250,000 (€360,000) a season being touted.

However, unless Jones is determined to return to Wales, then England’s leading clubs in the Guinness Premiership would also be keen to sign a player of his calibre, with London Wasps already thought to have made overtures.

At the end of his first season with Clermont, Jones was voted the best fly-half in the French Championship by respected rugby magazine Midi Olympique.