RYAN Jones has been granted a testimonial year by the Ospreys.
The 31-year old, who last month set a new record for the most games as captain of Wales, will officially launch his testimonial at the Ospreys v Zebre match at the Liberty Stadium on Friday.
This comes before a formal launch event at the Millennium Stadium on Wednesday, January 16.
"I am honoured and extremely humbled to have been handed a testimonial by the Ospreys," said Jones, who has played 135 times for the region.
"It promises to be a wonderful and memorable year for not just me but for my family as well, who have been a big inspiration for me and have shared the highs and lows of my career.
"I've been extremely fortunate to have enjoyed a long and successful career, not only with the Ospreys, but with Wales and the Lions, and rugby has given me a chance to experience things and go places I could never have imagined.
"The public have never shown me anything but 100 per cent support throughout my career, which I truly appreciate, and I hope to share my testimonial year with them through some wonderful events."
The Welsh Guards Afghanistan Appeal will be the official charity of the testimonial year, with the charity benefiting financially from the partnership.
Jones's relationship with the Welsh Guards began last summer, when he penned a personal letter to 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, who were stationed in Helmand Province.
He wrote in order to express his sympathy for the family of Lance Corporal Lee Davies, who had been killed by a rogue policeman.
Jones joined the Ospreys in the summer of 2004 following the demise of the Celtic Warriors. He has since won four league titles with the region and an EDF Energy Cup, as well as captaining Wales to the Grand Slam in 2008.
Andrew Hore, the Ospreys' chief operations officer, said: "Ryan is a wonderful servant to the Ospreys and his country, and to rugby in general.
"His record speaks for itself, his achievements in the game are testament to the hard work and effort he puts in every day, constantly striving to improve.
"He remains one of our most reliable performers, someone who leads by example on the field."
