Wales Wing Jones Backs Freddie & Co.

NEWLY-crowned as Scarlets captain, Mark Jones will also celebrate his testimonial season in the region's forthcoming campaign and got the fundraising off to a flying start with the gift of a signed England 2009 Ashes shirt.

Jones, a keen cricket fan who watched England on their way to a dramatic draw in the historic opening test in Cardiff, now has an extra reason to cheer England on in the crucial final test.

He used the big screens at the Millennium Stadium to send a personal good luck message to all-rounder Freddie Flintoff - whose battle with injury he can really relate to - after being touched by the gesture from his cricketing colleagues.

"I have absolutely no problem supporting England in the Ashes, it's the England and Wales Cricket Board after all," said Jones.

"But the fact that the team have gone out of their way to sign this shirt and send it over for me at such a busy time for them is pretty humbling to be honest.

"It was great to see them in Cardiff, even though it was a drawn match it had plenty of excitement and I wish them all the very best for next week now.

"Freddie will be putting himself through the mill to ensure that he is fit but he also won't want to let his teammates down by playing if he isn't right."

Jones - who could be on the Millennium Stadium pitch facing Australian opposition himself in the Invesco Perpetual Series next November, as Wales attempt to retain the James Bevan Trophy - knows all about knee injuries after going through successive reconstructions on each of his joints.

Surgery and rehab to consecutive injuries on both knees kept Jones away from international rugby for the best part of three years from 2003, before he made his comeback in a Wales jersey in the 2006 Six Nations.

"There were plenty of occasions when I could've kidded myself that I was fit and taken a cap for club or country but that is something that is a definite 'no, no' for a professional sportsman.

"Freddie will be going through some mental turmoil as well as doing everything he can to get himself physically right.

"I don't know anything about the detail of his injury, just what I've heard, but if he does make it onto the pitch it will be because he feels he is capable of doing a job for the team and that can only be good for England and the rest of us watching.

"I really do wish him and his team-mates the very best of luck. Not just because it will give my testimonial season an even bigger boost, but because from what I've seen, they deserve to get something out of this series."

Jones and his committee are keen to get some of the charities that are close to his heart involved and he knows there will be an auction at some stage with the Ashes shirt as a star lot.

"It's very early days for me at the moment, but it's simply a great honour for the Scarlets to have awarded me a testimonial year at all," added Jones.

"There are only a few players who are chosen and in the year that they have made me captain I feel all the more honoured.

"I signed up as an 18-year-old and have been a career Scarlet, in ten years I've had some great times with the club and hopefully there are plenty more to come.

"I still feel 23 years old and I like to think I have a good few years ahead of me, but that won't stop me making the most of my testimonial year hopefully to the benefit of my family and one or two of the charities that are close to our hearts as well."