Huw Jones’s stellar showing against the AUNZ XV and news of an injury to Garry Ringrose means he must start at 13 in Andy Farrell’s Lions first Test team to take on the Wallabies next Saturday.

Jones was irresistible in the first half in Adelaide, piercing through the combined Australia-New Zealand side with ease and constantly creating opportunities for his team-mates in red.

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The 31-year-old was part of the quick thinking and speedily-taken lineout that led to Duhan van der Merwe’s first try and he then showed off his pace with a lovely break and chip and chase.

While his attacking game has really caught the eye down under, Jones showed he’s no slouch in defence with a crucial strip on the tryline as the AUNZ team threatened to bundle over from a five-metre penalty.

Jones averaged nine metres per carry in the first 40 and he scythed through again as his pace was too much for the AUNZ side to cope with around the fringes of the ruck. That got the Lions on the front foot and Mack Hansen also dashed through but Luke Cowan-Dickie was unable to gather his offload with the tryline begging.

So much of the talk leading into the Wallabies series has been about whether Andy Farrell will plump for Irish centre duo Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose or their Scottish counterparts Sione Tuipulotu and Jones. However, after Farrell confirmed that Ringrose picked up a head injury in the Brumbies win that produced delayed headache symptoms, causing him to fail an HIA, he will now be stood down for 12 days and is unavailable for the first Test.

If the Lions are serious about shredding the Wallabies in attack then Jones is your man as he has looked constantly dangerous in all his appearances down under. Jones was withdrawn after 49 minutes with the indication that he is being saved and wrapped in cotton wool for Joe Schmidt’s Australia given the news surrounding Ringrose.

I can’t now envisage a situation where Jones doesn’t start in the No 13 jersey back in Brisbane next week. He could be outside Bundee Aki or with his tried-and-tested centre partner Sione Tuipulotu and even Owen Farrell, who looked very sharp upon his arrival 49 minutes into proceedings in Adelaide, and will be considered.

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