NEWPORT-born Ryan Jones is flying out to New Zealand to join the British Lions tour party.

Jones has been pulled out of the Wales team to face Canada in Toronto tomorrow and instead will reinforce the British Lions squad Down Under.

Jones has been called up as cover for two Lions back row forwards - Scotland's Simon Taylor, who suffered a recurrence of his hamstring injury during training today, and Newport Gwent Dragons number eight Michael Owen, who is flying home tomorrow to be with his wife for the birth of their second child.

The fuure of Taylor is uncertain, though he is not being flown home at the moment, while Owen is expected to miss the next two tour matches because of his long journey home and back.

Owen has been promoted from the replacement's bench to step in for Taylor against the Maoris tomorrow.

Jones' call-up for the Lions completes a fairytale year for the 24-year-old 6ft 5ins, 17st 10lbs number eight or blindside flanker who is a Newport Youth product but is now a regular member of the Ospreys line-up, the Celtic League champions.

Jones has won nine caps after being called into the Wales team by new coach Mike Ruddock for the Autumn series last year.

He made his debut against South Africa in the first of Wales' November internationals but missed out against Romania and New Zealand before being recalled against Japan.

But he had made such an impression that Ruddock included him for the Six Nations Championship squad and though missing the first two games against England and Italy made a major impact after that.

He stepped in at blindside against France, got Wales' first try in their first half spree against Scotland and remained for the Grand Slam clincher against Ireland.

Now Jones reaches the pinnacle with his British Lions call, getting the vote ahead of England's Joe Worsley, though many thought he should have replaced Lawrence Dallaglio.