'No one told me about Garry, which was probably a good thing'
Ringrose suffered a head injury during Wednesday's victory over the Brumbies in Canberra, but Lions management had yet to tell all of the squad that the Ireland international would miss out on the first Test.
News of Ringrose's injury only broke during the Lions' clash with the AUNZ side in Adelaide, a game in which Jones was outstanding in the number 13 shirt.
Jones' performance means he looks set to start at outside centre in Brisbane next weekend and the Scotland midfielder said it probably helped him that he didn't know about Ringrose's injury.
'No one told me, which I think was probably a good thing because then it didn't mess with my head,' said Jones.
'So coming into this I was actually sort of like, it's another game.
'Like, he played bloody well on Wednesday. He's great, actually one of the best guys I've met. We shared a room in Perth, really get on with him. We've been working together loads, the four of us, Sione and Bundee as well, to try and get all of our connections, so I'm gutted for him.
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'But if that means that I get an opportunity next week then I'll obviously be very happy with that and then try and grab it with both hands.'
Jones impressed against the AUNZ XV. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Jones said it was brutal to see his team-mate and competitor for the 13 shirt cut down by an unfortunate injury.
Ringrose suffered the blow to the head late on in the Brumbies game, having delivered an excellent performance for the Lions.
'You hate to see it,' said Jones. 'You hate to see someone get hurt, because we're all in it together and when that team is named, the last couple of weeks have been a really good set-up for everyone just to play, connect on and off the field and try and get ready.
'Now at this point, everybody's trying to put their hand up to get in that Test team. So whoever does play, it's just as important for the guys that aren't to just… the disappointment will be there, obviously, but then quickly get over that to best prepare the team.
'And that goes for the next four games that we've got because there will be, I'm sure, changes because someone else might get hurt.'
With Jones now fancied to start at outside centre against the Wallabies, it remains to be seen who lines up at number 12.
Bundee Aki had an excellent performance against the Brumbies on Wednesday, but Sione Tuipulotu has a proven, incisive partnership with Jones. Given that Scotland's Finn Russell is set to start the first Test at out-half, it may be tempting for head coach Andy Farrell to go with the Scottish 10/12/13 combination.
However, Aki and Jones started together in the Lions' impressive win over the Reds 10 days ago, while Aki and Tuipulotu combined in the Lions' opening game of the campaign against Argentina.
Bundee Aki and Huw Jones after the Reds game. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Jones said Farrell has been keen to push the possibility of a combined midfield pairing of one Scot and one Irishman from the start.
'They wanted us to build all those connections and little things that me and Sione do and Bundee and Gary do, we've been helping each other, both sides of the ball, just little tips on how we think we can help each other in our game,' said Jones. 'So it's been great from that perspective.
'We've done a lot of training, different combinations so I think they definitely had that in mind, that it may not be that you're going to have an Ireland pair and a Scottish pair always playing together, it might be a mix-up.
'So you've got to be prepared for that and build those connections.'
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