The loss to the Scarlets was the region’s third consecutive reversal, and although they currently remain second in the PRO12 table, Jones understands that the team needs to up it’s game in order to put an end to the barren run and ensure their fans home with smile on their faces after the first game of 2012.
“It’s been a very difficult time for us”he said.
”We don’t often lose three consecutive matches and understandably we’re all hurting at the moment. If you look at all three games, we haven’t been that far off it, we’ve been competitive in every game and been a dropped pass or a wrong option away from overturning the scoreline.
“It’s incredibly frustrating for us as players, it really is, we are desperate to do well for the region, just as the fans are desperate for us to win, and we are working hard every day to get it right. The good thing is we aren’t talking about major issues, it’s about individual errors, accuracy, and needing to be more clinical.
“We know the areas we’ve fallen down, and we have to put them right. We can’t just talk about it though, we have to be true to our word and dig in as a team to get it right. What better way to bounce back than with a win over Cardiff Blues at the Liberty?”
The festive season in Wales is synonymous with local derbies and big crowds, and Jones says that it adds up to the perfect occasion for any rugby fan:
“It’s tradition isn’t it, Christmas rugby and local derbies? It makes for fantastic occasions and a great day out for fans, with family and friends, enjoying the game. It’s a time when people come together, meet up, and enjoy the company and the camaraderie of rugby and I think it’s something special.
“You’ll get families that are divided, with members supporting both sides, and people think it’s great to get out of the house and really enjoy themselves at the big game. It’s one of the sacrifices that professional sportspeople have to make, as players we have to have maybe quieter Christmas and New Year celebrations, but if I was a fan and not a player I know that I’d be looking forward to going to the Liberty and enjoying a beer at the game.
“Hopefully we’ll have the crowd and the atmosphere to match Boxing Day, and we’ll be aiming to start New Year with a bang.”
