Jones heads for tour after Ferris blow

Wales captain Ryan Jones will fly to Cape Town tonight after being summoned as a replacement for the second successive British and Irish Lions tour.

And if Jones makes half the impression he managed four years ago in New Zealand, then the 2009 Lions version are on to a winner.

But while the Ospreys back-row forward prepares for check-in just three days after arriving back from Wales’ successful North America tour, Ireland Grand Slam winner Stephen Ferris has seen his Lions dream cruelly shattered by a knee injury.

Ferris, a strong candidate to have clinched a Lions Test place against world champions South Africa on Saturday week, has suffered a knee ligament tear that means he faces a six-week lay-off.

He twisted his right knee during a training drill on Monday afternoon, and a scan subsequently revealed the injury’s full extent.

“Stephen is a superb player, and I wish him a quick and full recovery from his injury,” said Jones.

“I am anxious to help the Lions in any way I can, and I recognise how this is a great honour for me and my family.”

Lions head coach Ian McGeechan added: “He (Ferris) had the scan on Tuesday morning that showed he had a grade two tear to his medial collateral ligament.

“This usually requires a four to six-week recovery period and is severe enough to mean he will miss the rest of the tour.

“Therefore, with six matches left on tour after Wednesday’s match against the Sharks, we believe we need to fly out a replacement as cover for the back-row.”

Ulster forward Ferris made a powerful start in South Africa, scoring tries in each of his two appearances against the Golden Lions and the Cheetahs.

And such was his impact he looked set for an intriguing head to head for the Lions Test number six shirt with England’s Tom Croft.

Ferris’ dream though, is now over, as he joins a list of players who have fallen by the wayside.

McGeechan saw hooker Jerry Flannery, scrum-half Tomas O’Leary and Tom Shanklin all fail to make last month’s flight to Johannesburg due to injuries, while a 12-week suspension sidelined Munster flanker Alan Quinlan.

For Jones though, the call-up comes at the end of what has been a testing season.

He led Wales to the RBS 6 Nations title and Grand Slam last year, but he has failed to recapture consistent form since then.

He was one of three Six Nations skippers who originally failed to gain selection for the Lions trip, being joined by Scotland’s Mike Blair and England’s Steve Borthwick.

Blair, however, was summoned as replacement for O’Leary, and Jones will now look to make a mark in his probable tour debut against the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth next Tuesday.

He made the 2005 Test side, initially as a substitute, before starting the second and third Tests against the All Blacks.

The Lions can now only hope Wales wing Leigh Halfpenny does not follow Ferris out of the tour.

Halfpenny has aggravated a thigh injury that delayed his arrival in South Africa until last week, and was due to undergo a scan as the medical team made a full assessment.

Cardiff Blues star Halfpenny’s place on the bench for tonight’s fourth tour game against the Sharks has been taken by his Wales colleague James Hook.