'Garry deserved to play. He would have been unbelievable'
Yet part of him also felt sorry for Garry Ringrose.
The Irish centre had been picked to start at number 13 for the Lions in the second Test last week, but he then had to pull out after feeling symptoms of concussion at their final training session on Thursday.
So Jones had experienced the dejection of being dropped from the Lions' matchday 23 after the first Test, only to get good news soon after.
'It's obviously the initial disappointment of not being in the squad on the Tuesday, just internally,' said Scotland centre Jones.
'I had a chat with Faz, I was gutted. I got over that and was ready to get behind the boys.
'And then on Thursday, we trained and Garry to be fair to him said his head just wasn't right. I think he may have got a knock in the session and went to the doctor. That's brave.
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Ringrose, Huw Jones, and Bundee Aki. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
'I went and chatted to him afterwards and he was emotional. It's one of those, you think 'I'll be alright, I'll be alright.' But if it's bad, it's bad.
'I was gutted for him, because he deserved to play and I know he would have been unbelievable today.
'That's rugby, that's sport sometimes. So I got a nod after that session. I was ready to step in and luckily, I'd run some of the plays on Tuesday, so I was ready to go and got the job done today.'
Jones had huge respect for Ringrose's decision.
'I had no idea that he was struggling, but like people have said, it's just a game,' said Jones.
'Your head's very important, you only get one brain and all that. If he's felt the need to say that he was struggling, then fair play to him. I just hope that he gets over it very quickly.'
Jones is now hoping to see out the series at outside centre.
But whatever happens next, he will always cherish the memories of the MCG.
Ringrose with Andy Farrell. Tom Maher / INPHO Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO
'I don't really know what to say to be honest, but it's an amazing feeling,' said Jones of of clinching the series.
'What a game. Unbelievable. We made it hard for ourselves, ill discipline and all that, came back at the end and Barry [Hugo Keenan], what a finish. It's a good feeling.
'We knew it would be more than last week in terms of their intensity, just the game as a whole, the occasion, and we talked about it all week. I felt probably right at the beginning we were there and then we were our sort of worst enemy for a time, but I don't think we ever sort of… it's a cliché, but I don't think we ever stopped believing, even at half time.
'Even if we'd been further down, we still had that belief that we'd go on and win that. The bench that came on added so much energy. There were a few scrum penalties, the halfbacks had us playing in the right areas.
'It was just down to good rugby and Hugo finishing at the end.'
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He has run well on this track before, and now back on a mark that he is more than capable of winning off, he is a strong each-way player in a wide-open field. 2024 Winner: Grey Leader J : Gary Carroll T : Joseph Murphy Odds : 10/1 Our pick: EARLS Trainer: Gavin Cromwell Jockey: Robert Whearty (3lb) Form: 50-065 Age: 8 Weight: 9st 6lb ➡️ 3:20 Listed Arthur Guinness Irish EBF Corrib Fillies Stakes (3yo+) - 7f The UK raider Glamis Road will be popular with Jack Kearney taking the ride. He will appreciate every drop of rain that would come, and drawn in 2, he is positioned to attack from the get-go. However, the consistent FIERY LUCY looks to have been found a good opportunity to get off the mark this season. She comes here on the back of a narrow defeat to the then odds-on Red Letter at Killarney at this level, where both pulled clear of the third-place finisher. 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Should she suddenly bounce back for Fergal O'Brien, the she has a squeak. The Willie Mullins-trained Tounsivator gets the assistance of Harry Cobden, and it would not be a surprise to see him outrun his odds. Gordon Elliott runs four here, and his best chance looks to be in the hands of NDAAWI , who was second in this last season off an eleven-pound lower mark, but the son of Cracksman has improved since. He was last seen splitting three-time Grade 1 Juvenile Hurdle winner Kargese and Absurde. That form alone gives him a massive chance off a five-pound higher mark, and it's hard to see him not going close to going one place better than last season. 2024 Winner: Nurburgring J: J J Slevin T: Joseph O'Brien – Odds: 13/2 Our pick: NDAAWI Trainer: Gordon Elliott Jockey: Jack Kennedy Form: 36/22- Age: 5 Weight: 11st 7lb ➡️ 5:05 Guinness Novice Hurdle (4yo+) - 2m4½f Cinammon Roll has been in flying from racking up a hat trick of wins this summer (one bumper and two hurdles). 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Astelia has been running well over hurdles for Peter Fahey this season, and should the daughter of See The Stars transfer his improved form over hurdles back to the flat, she can play a role on her handicap debut. The one who could be well above his flat mark is listed novice hurdle winner ZARIYGANN . He was an easy winner of a listed novice hurdle last season for Micj=k Halford, and was then sent off the 5/4 favourite for the Fishery Lane Novice Hurdle, where he ran no sort of race and was a tailed off last of four. Since then, he has switched yards to Martin Brassil and was running a fine race on his seasonal return at 80/1 in the Grade 3 Grimes Hurdle, only to fall at the seventh. Provided that hasn't left a negative mark on him, he looks well capable of going close off a mark of 68 over a trip that is sure to suit. 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Colcannon, who was behind the selection at Naas, has gone on to win a Grade 2 bumper at the Dublin Racing Festival and chased home Champion Bumper winner Bambino Fever at the Punchestown Festival. His form is there for all to see, and if he can run to anywhere like he did on debut on his first start for Willie Mullins, it's hard to see Wartime Leader being beaten. 2024 Winner: Brave Crogha J: Miss A B O'Connor T: Ian Madden Odds: 200/1 Our pick: WARTIME LEADER Trainer: Willie Mullins Jockey: Patrick Mullins Form: 2/ Age: 5 Weight: 12st 0lb ➡️ 🕔 Galway Festival day four schedule TIME RACE DISTANCE 2:10 Grade 3 Guinness Open Gate Brewery Novice Chase 2m2f 2:45 Rockshore Refreshingly Irish Handicap 1m½f 3:20 Listed Arthur Guinness Irish EBF Corrib Fillies Stakes 2m½f 3:55 Guinness Irish EBF Nursery Handicap 7f 4:30 Grade 3 Guinness Galway Hurdle 2m 5:05 Guinness Novice Hurdle 2m4½f 5:40 Guinness 0.0 Handicap 1m4f 6:10 Guinness Time INH Flat Race 2m2f 📺 How to watch day four of the Galway Festival Location: Ballybrit, Galway, Ireland Date/Time: Thursday, 31st July, 2025. First Race 2:10 TV/Streaming: RTE & Racing TV About the author Craig Mahood Craig Mahood is an expert in sports betting and online casinos and has worked with the company since 2020. He joined the Betting & Gaming team at The Sun in June 2022 and works closely with the leading bookmakers and online gaming companies to provide content on all areas of sports betting and gaming. He previously worked as a Digital Sports Reporter at the Scottish Sun, covering Scottish football with particular focus on Celtic and Rangers, As well as football, he has covered horse racing, boxing, darts, the Olympics and tennis for the Sun. 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