Tough SA tour ahead, says Jones

Mark Jones is relishing taking on Bryan Habana

Mark Jones expects Wales' forthcoming trip to South Africa to be 10-times tougher than his last visit.

Jones' first and only experience of rugby in the republic came 10 years ago when he was a youth player.

Jones said: "It will be my first tour to South Africa with Wales. I toured there with Crawshay's Youth in 1998 and played in a festival in Pretoria.

"It's a hotbed of rugby, there's no doubt about that and if I play it will be 10 times as tough."

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Scarlets wing Jones, 28, is on target to return to action for the Tests on 7 and 14 June following a hernia operation that bedevilled him in the last quarter of the domestic season.

He could find himself up against one of the world's hottest properties in wing Bryan Habana and says the fresh faces at Warren Gatland's disposal have a chance to shine.

Jones said: "You've got to relish playing against someone like Habana because you can't go into a game being too concerned about things because in a split second thinking or worrying about something he can be gone past you.

"There are some good players not touring due to injury and high profile names too and what it's doing is allowing other players to come and have a go.

The guys that are not fit and not touring have set a standard during the last Six Nations and for the guys coming in it's a level to achieve Mark Jones

"The guys that are not fit and not touring have set a standard during the last Six Nations and for the guys coming in it's a level to achieve.

"They are under no illusions that they have an opportunity to play, but they have to make sure they grab it with both hands and we must all do that.

"At the moment there's just a huge amount of competition for places and that's good."

Memories of his trip to Pretoria 10 years ago remain fresh in Jones' mind.

"It was a tough few weeks, albeit just a festival with nothing too serious on it," said Jones. "But I played against some good teams and that was my first experience of at altitude and of South African rugby."

Wales face South Africa in Bloemfontein on 7 June and at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, a week later.