Ryan Jones holds the distinction of being one of Wales’ most capped captains, leading the team on 33 occasions. He is one of only a handful of Welsh players in history to have won three Grand Slams.
Born on 13 March 1981 in Newport, he played junior football for Bristol City as a goalkeeper until the age of 14, joining the rugby union at 17 to be with his friends at Risca RFC.
He joined the Ospreys in 2004 and made his international debut for Wales against South Africa in November that year. Jones was appointed captain of the Ospreys at the start of the 2007/8 season and appointed captain of Wales by new coach Warren Gatland in 2008. In his first Six Nations tournament as captain, he led his team to a second Grand Slam and celebrated his third in the Six Nations Championship in 2012.
In August 2015, Ryan Jones was forced to announce his retirement from rugby due to a shoulder injury. He is widely held as a modern day Welsh rugby legend.
On being presented with an Honorary Degree from Swansea University, Ryan Jones said: “I am delighted to receive this honorary degree from Swansea University.
“I have had the great privilege of being part of the Swansea community for more than 10 years now and I am honoured and proud to have played for and captained both the Ospreys and Wales rugby teams. My three children were born in the city and I'm proud to call Swansea my home.
"I have always tried to be a positive role model, not only across my sporting activities but in the wider community. In my time in Swansea I've been fortunate to develop close links with my local university and I understand how important it is to the area on so many fronts. Hopefully, with this honour, I can continue to promote the fantastic work it does, locally, nationally and internationally."
We are thrilled that Ryan is currently Swansea University's Making Strides for Mental Health Campaign Ambassador.