Wales and Ospreys back-rower Ryan Jones says the news of his Lions call-up was his best ever start to a day. "I had a phone call at 7am from Wales team manager Alan Phillips," said the 24-year-old, on tour in Canada when the news came from New Zealand.
"He said he'd known at 11 Thursday night but he wanted to give me a good night's sleep. I have to say it was one of the best wake-up calls I've had!
"There are some great players on the Lions stand-by list and I feel lucky."
Jones was called up when Scotland's Simon Taylor suffered a recurrence of his left hamstring injury.
Taylor will stay with the Lions squad, but his future participation is in doubt.
The tourists have already lost broken-ankle victim Lawrence Dallaglio, who was the favourite for the Test number eight jersey.
 |  I only made my international debut last autumn and I'm finishing the season with a Lions tour, the pinnacle of a British or Irish player's career |
Michael Owen has impressed in the role. He will make a flying return to Wales on Sunday for the birth of his child, but is expected to return to New Zealand on Tuesday. It has been a remarkable season for Newport-born Jones, though, who moved from the Celtic Warriors to the Ospreys last summer.
The regular rugby he has been given at the west Wales region benefited him, and he won his first Wales cap against South Africa last autumn.
Dafydd Jones' injury opened the way for him to play a major role for Wales in their Grand Slam campaign, and the abrasive back-row man impressed in Wales' 77-3 win over the USA last week.
"It's been a fantastic year for me," Jones told BBC Sport Wales in Toronto, where he was due to face Canada before the Lions news came.
"I only made my international debut last autumn and I'm finishing the season with a Lions tour, the pinnacle of a British or Irish player's career.
"The dream would be to play in the Test XV and I'll give it my best shot, but if I only play in one midweek game I'll be over the moon.
"It will be nice to see a few friendly faces from the Ospreys in New Zealand [Shane Williams and Gavin Henson] as I'll be the new boy.
"Shane has told me there's a great atmosphere in the camp and that everyone's really friendly.
"But I have to say a big thank you to all the boys I'm leaving behind in the Wales squad.
"If they hadn't played as well as they have all year then I wouldn't be in this position."
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