NEWPORT-BORN Ryan Jones has to keep pinching himself as his fairytale eight-months continues to get better and better.

The 24-year-old, who made his international bow for Wales only last November, has since landed a Grand Slam, won a late call-up for the Lions tour and this weekend will make a first Test start for Sir Clive Woodward's tourists.

Last weekend's 21-3 mauling at the hands of the All Blacks and an injury to England flanker Richard Hill has resulted in Woodward making five changes to his pack for the second Test in Wellington.

Jones is one of the beneficiaries of the Lions' dismal showing in Christchurch and will start in a new-look back row alongside Ireland's Simon Easterby and England's Lewis Moody.

Jones, having played for 60 minutes in last week's first Test, is regarded as the senior figure in the Lions back row - a strange turn of events for the international rookie.

"The dream goes on and it's just unbelievable," said Jones. "I don't know what to make of it and I don't think it will really sink in until well after the tour has gone and I have had a chance to sit back and reflect on it.

"I've never been involved in anything like this before and this experience is all new to me. It's massive - probably only the World Cup is on a par with this.

"But I wouldn't know, because I haven't even been to a World Cup either, so I can't draw on that sort of experience.

"It's a quick turnaround from last week and it's a new back-row unit with Lewis Moody and Simon Easterby. "But last Saturday was a new unit for me and so was the Saturday before. We'll just have to box a bit clever and try to impose ourselves on New Zealand rather than having to defend all day.

"Clive has just told me to go out and do what I've been doing. Hopefully I won't let him down."

Jones is well aware that the Lions must level the series in Wellington or the tour is effectively over for the tourists.

The Osprey is refusing to buckle under the mounting pressure and is instead concentrating on doing himself justice with a solid performance in the second Test.

"The pressure and expectation comes from outside," added Jones. "The pitch is 100 yards by 70 and there are a lot of people watching that space. There aren't a lot of hiding places on a rugby field and you don't want to let people down . "I usually get terrible nerves but I'm relaxed now, because it's a long old week. There's nothing to be afraid of but I do occasionally get a sort of morbid fear of failure.

"The fear of not doing myself justice is the biggest fear I suffer from. There's no fear of the opposition or the rugby environment, because it's something you do week in, week out, and you're conditioned to do. "As long as I give everything and don't let myself down, I can hold my head high.

"You've got to be able to live with yourself when you close the door at night. When it's all gone quiet and there's no one around, you might realise that the chance you had might not come around again. These sorts of opportunities are few and far between. There really is no tomorrow. If you don't perform Saturday, you won't play the next Test. If you don't perform Saturday, the series is over."