Wales' new number eight Ryan Jones says he is in the national team to stay. "I hope to play through the autumn and Six Nations," said Jones, 23, after hearing he is to win his first cap against South Africa on Saturday.
"In fact I want to play through every campaign until I retire, although you can only really look to the next game.
"I wouldn't want to win my first cap against anyone other than South Africa. In front of a full crowd against the world's best - it's a dream come true."
Jones added: "You have to respect the Springboks, they're seasoned, international pros. "But we've done our homework. They're no different to us and we have to test ourselves against the best."
The Ospreys starlet said he was surprised to hear he was in Wales' starting XV.
"It was a shock, there are some great players in the squad, but it's a credit to the Ospreys and the coaches there.
"Mike Ruddock says he wants me to show the physical game I've been playing all season and said that if I play like I did against Munster I will be ok."
The number eight's regional coach Lyn Jones is confident his player has the tools to succeed.
 |  Ryan is going to be in the Wales team for a long time |
"It's a good, brave selection by Mike Ruddock," the Ospreys coach told BBC Sport Wales. "The Ospreys identified his international qualities and chased hard to recruit him in the summer.
"He's a strong, robust character who knows the way forward, gets in the middle of everything and influences it.
"He is going to be in the Wales team for a long time."
Ryan's Wales captain Gareth Thomas, who played with him at Bridgend and the Celtic Warriors, was equally fulsome in his praise.
"I always knew he had the potential to be a superb player," said Thomas in his column for BBC Sport.
"Proud as it will be for Ryan to win his first cap, it will be a massive honour for me to lead him out.
"I always knew his time would come."
MMIX
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