Former Wales dual-code rugby worldwide Mark Jones has died on the age of 59.

Wales Rugby League stated Jones died of a coronary heart assault whereas at a fitness center within the Center East.

Jones started his senior rugby profession in union with native aspect Tredegar Ironsides earlier than becoming a member of Tredegar RFC, then on to Neath in 1985 – on the time one of many powerhouses of Welsh rugby.

Neath stated information of the dying of their former participant had left the membership “heartbroken” and paid tribute to “an actual pressure of nature”.

The quantity eight started establishing his repute as one of many ‘arduous males’ of the sport whereas at Neath. Throughout his profession he was despatched off six instances and banned for extra then 33 weeks for violent conduct.

That disciplinary document didn’t hurt his worldwide probabilities although, and Jones performed 15 instances for Wales between 1987 and 1990 earlier than switching to rugby league with Hull.

He made his Wales bow in union in opposition to Scotland at Murrayfield in March 1987, aged simply 21, scoring a late strive on debut in a 21-15 defeat.

After switching codes to league in October 1990 – a part of a Welsh exodus as gamers from the newbie union recreation flocked to the skilled code – Jones suffered a sequence of ankle accidents that originally restricted his time on the pitch for Hull.

His expertise ultimately shone via and Jones gained 11 caps for Wales within the 13-man recreation, together with two throughout a well-known 1995 World Cup marketing campaign the place Wales reached the semi-finals. He additionally represented Nice Britain, enjoying one recreation in opposition to France in February 1992.

After 4 years with Hull, that includes at prop and second row, Jones performed for a season at Warrington earlier than returning to union with Ebbw Vale.

His interval with the Steelmen proved essentially the most infamous of his profession, together with a well-known brawl with Swansea’s Wales prop Stuart Evans that noticed each males banned for 4 weeks.

Then within the 1998-99 league season in opposition to Pontypridd, Jones landed a punch on a younger Ian Gough that left the long run Wales star needing surgical procedure on his eye socket. One other three-week ban adopted his sending-off by referee Derek Bevan.

Regardless of his transgressions, Jones earned a Wales recall and gained his fifteenth and last cap as a lock in opposition to Zimbabwe in June 1998, a couple of days earlier than turning 33.

He performed for Pontypool and Aberavon earlier than the top of his profession and after hanging up his boots, Jones went on to work as a lab technician in a world faculty for an oil firm within the Center East.

His time on the faculty noticed Jones turn into concerned in rugby teaching.

In 2023, Jones mirrored on his turbulent profession by releasing his autobiography Preventing To Communicate.

Within the e book, he candidly defined how his ongoing battle with a debilitating stammer had made him “very anxious, filled with self-loathing and hate”, and the way rugby gave him the prospect to launch that rage on the sector.

Clive Griffiths, who coached Jones for quite a lot of years with the Wales league aspect, informed the Wales Rugby League web site: “Scooby was a large in each codes, and the truth that he went on to play for Nice Britain as properly speaks volumes for his potential as a participant.

“He was half and parcel of that nice period of Welsh rugby league till rugby union went again skilled in 1995. From 1991-95, he was an ever-present within the Welsh squad.

“All people beloved him as a person in the beginning. I not too long ago learn his e book and it is simply so attention-grabbing to examine his life.

“For me, it is like dropping one of many household. We’re so tight as a bunch, the crew of 1995, and we’re at all times in contact. It is tough to elucidate the depth of feeling from that group of gamers proper now.

“He at all times referred to as me boss, proper up till now. He was a superb man, the most effective and that is why he was beloved a lot.”