Michael Niko Jones
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| Michael Jones | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Michael Niko Jones | ||
| Date of birth | April 8, 1965 | ||
| Place of birth |  Auckland, New Zealand |
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| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Weight | 98 kg (15 st 6 lb) | ||
| Nickname | Iceman, Ice | ||
| School | Henderson High | ||
| College | University of Auckland | ||
| Occupation(s) | Amateur rugby union footballer | ||
| Rugby union career | |||
| Playing career | |||
| Position | Flanker, Number eight | ||
| All Black No. | 882 | ||
| National team(s) | |||
| 1986 1987-1998 |
 Samoa New Zealand |
1 55 |
(0) (56) |
| Coaching career | |||
| 2004-2006 | Samoa | ||
Michael Niko Jones (born 8 April 1965 in Auckland, New Zealand), is a former rugby union player and current coach. He has been named as one of the world's greatest players of all time by The Times and also the third-greatest All Black of all time after Colin Meads and Sean Fitzpatrick. He was nicknamed the 'Iceman' because of the cool but confident manner in which he played. However, most of those whom Jones played with referred to him simply as Ice due to the high frequency of injuries and icepacks he required during a season. John Hart, who first selected him for Auckland, called him "almost the perfect rugby player."
Jones came to prominence initially as an openside flanker, making his international debut for New Zealand during the 1987 Rugby Union World Cup, where he scored the first try of the tournament, after playing one Test the previous year for Western Samoa, for whom he qualified through one of his parents. He had made his first-class debut in 1985 for his Auckland provincial side in the National Provincial Championship.
Jones has been credited with revolutionizing the openside flanker position with his physical prowess, superior fitness, and uncanny instincts to be wherever the ball would be, as evidenced by his 13 international tries. He scored the first try of the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987, and also the first try of the second World Cup in 1991. Later in his career, lacking the speed which characterized his early career, he played predominantly as a blindside flanker or number eight. In 1998 he was dropped from the All Blacks at the age of 33.
Jones' career was blighted by some serious injuries, notably two serious knee injuries and a broken jaw, so that although he was first choice whenever his physical condition allowed, he only played 55 full internationals during a period when New Zealand played almost 90 internationals. His number of appearances was also affected by his strong Christian beliefs, as he refused to play on Sundays. Although he was selected for the 1987 and 1991 All Black World Cup squads, he was omitted from the 1995 squad because of this refusal to play on Sundays, which would have meant that he would have been unavailable for the quarterfinal and semifinal games.
Jones has been a positive role model, particularly for Pacific Islander youth in New Zealand, both during his career and since his retirement in 1998. A strong Christian man who refused to play on Sundays to honor the Sabbath, it was once asked of him how a Christian such as himself could be such an uncompromising tackler. In reply he wryly quoted a phrase from the Bible: It is better to give than receive.
On 7 April 2004 Jones was appointed national coach of Samoa, replacing New Zealander John Boe. He had previously served as Boe's assistant coach during the 2003 World Cup.
He was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame in 2003.
Jones graduated from the University of Auckland with three degrees: a B.A., a M.A. and a BPlan.
There was speculation that Jones had resigned as coach of the Manu Samoa team just after the players flew out to New Zealand to prepare for their 2007 South Africa tour. However, after talks with the Manu Samoan Union over whether his role should become full time until the World Cup Jones joined the team on tour. [1]
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ "Joins to Join Samoa on Tour", planetrugby. Retrieved on 2007-01-31.
[edit] External links
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