NEWPORT-born Ryan Jones completes a fantastic year when he makes his debut for the British Lions against Otago in Dunedin on Saturday.

It's a quick call-up for the former Newport Youth ace who plays for Celtic League champions the Ospreys. He was hauled off the Wales tour of Canada less than a week ago when Scottish back row forward Simon Taylor suffered a recurrence of his hamstring injury.

Jones was pulled out of Wales' game against Canada last Saturday having already been selected for what would have been his ninth cap.

He arrived in New Zealand on Saturday and has already impressed the Lions coaches in training.

They have put him straight in against Otago which completes an unbelievable year for the player who less than a year ago was without a team and contemplating life on the dole after Celtic Warriors went into liquidation.

But he was snapped up by the Ospreys and has never looked back. He made his Wales debut in the Autumn internationals and starred in the second part of the Six Nations, though playing in his Ospreys position of blindside flanker whereas he lines up at number eight for the Lions.

He will have fellow Wales back row forward Martyn Williams alongside him at openside against Otago while Shane Williams is on the wing, making just three Welsh representatives in the Lions 22.

Scottish hooker Gordon Bulloch will lead the side and a powerful performance from the Leeds-bound forward could thrust him into Test match contention, despite competition presented by England's Steve Thompson and Irish hooker Shane Byrne.

Thompson is on the bench at Carisbrook while Byrne shone in yesterday's 23-6 victory over Wellington, but Bulloch now has his chance with the first Test against New Zealand looming.

Bulloch, 30, becomes the Lions' third tour skipper in five games, after Brian O'Driscoll and Martin Corry, with head coach Sir Clive Woodward edging towards decision day in terms of finalising his Test line-up to face the All Blacks on Saturday week.

Those plans received a lift today, with Lewis Moody recovering from a knee injury and being declared fit to stake his claim for Test recognition.

The Leicester and England flanker was hurt during training earlier this week, and stayed behind in Christchurch for treatment while his colleagues travelled to Wellington.

But he has made sufficient progress to satisfy the Lions medical staff.

There is a place on the bench for prop Andrew Sheridan having shrugged off an ankle problem sustained during last Saturday's defeat to New Zealand Maori.

And among those looking to impress at Carisbrook will be Charlie Hodgson and Chris Cusiter, who are reunited at half-back following their impressive contribution in helping the Lions defeat Taranaki.

Otago coach Wayne Graham, meanwhile, has named 13 Super 12 players in his line-up, although All Blacks Anton Oliver, James Ryan and Carl Hayman will all be missing.

Anton Oliver has been ruled out of New Zealand's first Test against the Lions.

He has been in a race to get fit after injuring his calf while playing for the Highlanders Super 12 franchise against the Crusaders on May 7.

The veteran hooker's recovery has been slower than expected and he is still at least two weeks away from full training and his first appearance for the All Blacks is now likely to be in the second Test in Wellington on July 2.