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Jones could return for Ospreys

Jones could return for Ospreys

The Ospreys hope Ryan Jones will provide them with a major boost by returning to action for their Heineken Cup opener with Leinster.

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The Wales and British & Irish Lions frward has been plagued by a succession five injuries this year and has made just one appearance for the Ospreys this term.

But he was scheduled to return to full training following a calf injury today and is in line to face the European heavyweights at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday.

“He was semi-involved with the session on Monday. He did a lot of the unit-based stuff and some of the skill-based drills,” said Ospreys assistant coach Gruff Rees.

“He didn’t do the full run at the end in terms of some of the game play we did. He was pulled away by the physio

“We’re hoping for a full training day on Tuesday and touch wood we can get him in the mix for this weekend,”

“It would be a boost, especially after last week. He’s a talisman who has that aura and a calmness about him – he comes in and does his job the right way and also affects other people the right way.

“Perhaps we didn’t have that on the pitch last weekend against Ulster. It was unusual for us, but Ryan can certainly add to the mix.”

The defeat to Ulster was the first time the Welsh region have lost this season.

But Rees has challenge his side to produce a backlash against Leinster at the Liberty Stadium.

“We’re certainly hoping for a reaction,” added Rees.

“Historically, we’ve always come back fighting after those sorts of performances. We have a squad of winners who don’t accept what happened last Friday night, the way we sort of died a bit in the last quarter of the game.

“In a way we’d hope that it can galvanise the group. As coaches we were sick to the gut in terms of the way the game just drifted away from us.

“Myself, Steve and Chris have gnawed on that all over the weekend. You almost want to get back to work the next day to put things right, and the players are no different.

“The likes of Alun Wyn, Dan Biggar, Justin Tipuric and Adam Jones want to get on the field again and put a performance in after we let it go at the weekend. It was a crying shame given the previous four weeks.” 

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