Scotland star Huw Jones' route to the Lions that began with Cape Town school job

Daily Mirror

15 hours ago

Huw Jones is in pole position to wear the No 13 jerset for British and Irish Lions this weekend as the Scotland star realises a dream having been overlooked by academies before a Cape Town gap year ignited his dream
When Huw Jones was in his late teens he admitted that being a professional player "wasn't realistic" - more than a decade later and he's reached the pinnacle of British and Irish rugby.
The Scotland centre had long been tipped to make the squad and, unlike some of his new team-mates, his path to getting to the present day was not a well trod one. Unlike the usual club into age grade representative rugby into an academy pathway Jones found himself as a school in Cape Town on a gap year.
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The Glasgow star is among those from the never ending production line that comes out of Millfield School in Somerset. It's rugby exports include Chris Robshaw and Mako Vunipola but Jones knew the professional career wasn't on the cards at 18.
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Rather than going to university he opted for a gap year in one of the world's most picturesque locations. At the south end of South Africa would prove kind to Jones. A family friend hooked him with a job in a school. He signed up to play club rugby with False Bay in 2012, two years later he was playing in the Varsity Cup.
Those exploits grabbed the attention of the Western Province. Jones' upward trajectory then saw him playing for the Stormers, rubbing shoulders with Springbok icon Siya Kolisi.
It's just over 10,000 kilometres from Edinburgh to Cape Town but Jones' family tree meant he could always represent Scotland and so the call came. The 31-year-old, who had passed every challenge that had come his way, quickly took to international rugby.
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He enjoyed a stunning strike rate in the early days. He scored twice on his home debut as the Scots were edged out by Australia. Two memorable tries in 2018 secured a historic win over England. Jones though hasn't endured a career without its dips and challenges.
He failed to make the squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. His defence was questioned and during Dave Rennie's spell as Glasgow boss Jones was having to try and master the art of fullback having been pushed out of the centres.
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A change in the coaching box though saw Jones recapture his best form alongside Sione Tuipilotu. That partnership has blossomed and the duo are first choice for Scotland and so the 'Huwipilotu' bromance nickname was born.
Jones' try-scoring habit is firmly back. He now ranks as the most prolific Scot who doesn't play on the wing or at fullback. His club exploits have made him a league champion with Glasgow and, despite Jones' wholesome reaction at being selected for the Lions, few were surprised he got the shout.
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He told the Lions' website: "A lot of it is down to timing and being on form at the right time, and fit at the right time. I feel really thankful to the medical team, to the coaches who have been selecting me for the last couple of seasons that I've got myself into a position to be fit and play well to put myself in that picture.
'It's the pinnacle of rugby for me. I am a rugby fan, I grew up obsessed with rugby. I've been watching the Lions for years and years, those have been my rugby heroes, my whole life. To now be named in that squad, it's such a special moment for me.'
Ireland's Garry Ringrose is out of the First Test this weekend with concussion and it has left Jones as the out and out frontrunner to wear No 13 and he's already shown an appetite for tries - crossing the whitewash three times already.