Former Wales captain Ryan Jones has candidly shared his struggles with memory loss following a diagnosis of early-onset dementia and probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The 45-year-old, who earned 75 caps for Wales and was part of three Grand Slam-winning Six Nations campaigns, expressed his concerns in the new BBC documentary Ryan Jones: Unbreakable.

Diagnosed in 2022, Jones has faced ongoing challenges since retiring in 2015, including battling depression and anxiety. He revealed, "It terrifies me, not being able to be the dad and husband I want to be. My biggest fear is being a burden to them." The former back rower conveyed his deep emotional conflict over whether his illustrious rugby career was worth the toll it has taken on his life.

Jones, who has a blended family of six children, lamented, "I want to see my daughters get married and support my sporty sons. At 40 years old, I feel lonely and overwhelmed."

Reflecting on his mental health journey, he stated that after retiring, he often felt trapped in a dark place, struggling to articulate his feelings to doctors. His diagnosis came during the Covid pandemic after he listened to an interview with fellow former international Alix Popham.

Both players are part of a larger group suing World Rugby, the RFU, and the WRU over their health issues. In a poignant moment in the documentary, Jones admitted to sometimes pretending to remember details of matches, saying, "I'd be lying if I said I remember all of it. I often make stuff up so people don't feel awkward."