Having broken into the Wales team on last summer’s tour of Argentina, Hook showed his potential by coming off the bench to lead his country’s fight-back in the 29-all draw with Australia last month.
Jones said: “I hope James is a marked man: if he is targeted I’d be delighted, because it would mean more room for everyone else. A defence that worries too much about one player leaves opportunities and space left, right and centre, because there are too many other dangerous runners in the Ospreys.
“James is a big threat from loose play when the game breaks up and teams can’t budget or defend against his style of attack. He can be marked from set piece, but any extra attention he is given will just mean a less tighter defence for other players.”
Jones has named Hook at inside centre to play Bristol and included Wales internationals Duncan Jones, Huw Bennett, Alun Wyn Jones and Ryan Jones in the side, while Grand Slam stars Gavin Henson and Brent Cockbain are on the bench.
The Ospreys have a busy December with home and away Heineken Cup fixtures against Calvisano after the Bristol game, before Welsh derbies against the Cardiff Blues, Llanelli Scarlets and Newport-Gwent Dragons over Christmas.
Yet Jones insists the Ospreys have seen it all before when it comes to their stand-out players being given special treatment by the opposition and it’s something he hopes to see again.
“Justin Marshall tends to get targeted a lot by the opposition and we have seen this before with Gavin Henson when he became a target a few seasons ago,” he said.
“It was like when we beat Harlequins a few seasons ago when Dafydd James and Will Greenwood spent most of the game trying to cream Gavin and Sonny Parker. It was great, and easy, to play against – let’s have more of the same, please.”
Ospreys: L Byrne, J Vaughton, T Selley, J Hook, N Walker, S Connor, J Spice, D Jones, H Bennett, K Griffiths, L Bateman, AW Jones, F Tiatia, R Jones, S Tandy
