Michael Jones (rugby union player)
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| Full name | Michael Niko Jones | ||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 8 April 1965 | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Auckland, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 98 kg (15 st 6 lb) | ||||||||||||||||
| School | Henderson High School | ||||||||||||||||
| University | University of Auckland | ||||||||||||||||
| Occupation(s) | Rugby union footballer & coach | ||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||
| Playing career | |||||||||||||||||
| Position | Flanker, Number eight | ||||||||||||||||
| New Zealand No. | 882 | ||||||||||||||||
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| Provincial/State sides | |||
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| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 1985–99 | Auckland | ||
| Super Rugby | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 1996–99 | Blues | ||
| National team(s) | |||
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| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 1986 1987–98 |
 Samoa New Zealand
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1 55 |
(0) (56) |
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Correct as of 15 October 2007
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| Coaching career | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Years | Club / team | ||
| 2004–07 | Samoa | ||
Michael Niko Jones MNZM (born 8 April 1965) is a New Zealand former rugby union player and coach. He was nicknamed 'the Iceman' or 'Ice' because of the number of icepacks he needed for injuries. He was named by Rugby World magazine as the third best All Black of the 20th century after Colin Meads and Sean Fitzpatrick.John Hart, who first selected him for Auckland, called him "almost the perfect rugby player".
Jones was born in Auckland, New Zealand, and grew up in Te Atatu South, a suburb in the west of Auckland, attending Edmonton Primary, Rangeview Intermediate and Henderson High School. His talent for playing was discovered early, as a 10-year-old tackling 15- to 18-year-olds at the weekend kick-abouts at the primary school. He played for the primary school team when still in standard one, when he was three years younger than many of the older children and by the time he attended Henderson High School, he was already well-known locally. He then helped turn a mediocre high school first XV into a successful rugby team that could compete with Auckland Grammar and Kelston Boys High (the regional heavyweights) for the first time. He played for the local Waitemata Rugby Club and it wasn't long before the Auckland representative team (coached by John Hart) took notice.
Jones played initially as an open side flanker, and made his provincial debut for Auckland aged 20 in the 1985 National Provincial Championship, scoring three tries against South Canterbury. He also played for New Zealand Colts. He made his international debut for Western Samoa, for whom he qualified through his mother, in 1986. After one cap for Samoa, and a British tour with the New Zealand Barbarians in 1987, he first played for New Zealand in the first game of the inaugural World Cup in the same year. He scored the second try of the tournament and played in four games, including the final, as New Zealand went on to win the competition. He also scored the last try of the second World Cup in 1991.
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