Hard work pays off as Jones back in the groove
Jones, 23, was involved in a collision that left him with a dislocated disc in his neck and he knew instantly there was something seriously wrong, even if he was able to move at all times afterwards.
Fast forward to the present and Jones is the picture of health, fit and raring to go as he proved in last week’s pre-season friendly against Gloucester at Musgrave Park.
Any doubts about his well-being were dispelled when he brought off a wonder tackle on English winger Tom Voyce in the dying seconds to help Munster secure a 15-10 win. Tonight, at the same venue (7.30pm), Jones takes his place in a Munster side for the Magners League opener against Italian newcomers Aironi and will be more concerned with form than fitness.
The days and weeks following the incident were worrying, he recalled.
“I certainly got a huge fright and I was told how lucky I was,” Jones said, “In terms of being able to play again the surgeon was non-committal, a bit doubtful in fact. I suppose he didn’t want to get my hopes up but neither did he say it was impossible. It was a question of fixing the injury and thinking about (playing) after that.”
The operation went well and the medics were happy to give him the go-ahead to play again. It has been a long haul but worth all the effort.
“I was in a brace for six weeks, and the only training I was doing then was body weights, squats and stuff. In terms of neck rehab, when I got the brace off, I was doing simple stuff, very repetitive, boring, but all that paid off in terms of building up my neck muscles.
“The first contact training I did was when I got back here for pre-season. Again it was a slow build and I was doing pads for a couple of days before starting to make and take hits.”
The former Irish U20 star is looking forward to building on the reputation he earned from the Leinster Academy and describes the environment to do that as perfect.
“I’ve loved every minute of it here,” he said. “It’s a great atmosphere. Everyone lives within two minutes of each other, so there is always someone around to grab a coffee with. Where I come from there is a great sense of community spirit, it’s like that here in Munster.”
Last week’s game-saving tackle on one of the most lethal finishers in the English Premiership was ample proof that he’s not going to compromise when a job needs to be done, yet he knows full well that competition for places dictates he will have to prove himself over and over again.
“The tackle last week was not about a test for my neck because I’ve been tackling all the time in training; it was a case of having to make it because the guy would have scored a try and we might have lost the match.
“The injury does put things into perspective. I am just lucky to be able to play again. I’m just looking to be involved as much as I can. I just want to try and get onto the team sheet. I want to play as much as I can and contribute to the success of the team.”
Now that he has joined Aironi, former Munster player Nick Williams could have something to say about whether Munster taste that success immediately. He will be back in Cork tonight to anchor a scrum that includes Italian internationals Fabio Ongaro, Salvatore Perugini, Carlo Del Fava and Quintin Geldenhuys.
Also included is Italian international Tito Tebaldi at scrum-half, who will partner former French international Ludovic Mercier, while another Frenchman, former international Julien Laharrague, is at full back.
Still without several leading players, Munster will, however, manage to field a vastly experienced team, Doug Howlett, Johne Murphy, Sam Tuitupou, Ian Dowling, Paul Warwick, Peter Stringer, Mick O’Driscoll and Denis Leamy amongst them. After two tough pre-season games against Leicester and Gloucester, a loss and a win, they will be well prepared for the challenge from the Italian newcomers.
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