Jones was in the All Blacks for nearly the same period of time as his contemporary Sean Fitzpatrick. Yet while Fitzpatrick's test tally was in the 90s Jones played just 55.

That, of course, was a reflection of Jones' many absences caused firstly by his unavailability for any matches played on Sundays and secondly from his many injuries.

His serious knee injury in particular in a test against the Argentinean Pumas at Athletic Park in 1989 effectively split Jones' international career into two distinct parts.

In his first period Jones played mainly as an open side flanker, from the time he made his All Black debut in the 1987 World Cup through to the mishap against the Pumas, and as such he helped redefine the position. He had pace, athleticism, ball skills and a punishing tackle which quickly won him acclaim as one of the most gifted rugby players of all time. And despite being not much more than 1.85m he was able to out jump taller forwards because of a spring honed by his years as an accomplished young basketballer.

Jones was obviously destined for stardom from the time he made the Auckland side as a 20 year old and in his representative debut scored three tries against South Canterbury. Top performances towards the end of the 1986 season in Auckland's Ranfurly Shield defences confirmed that promise and he was ear-marked for the All Blacks when he starred with the Barbarians in 1987 on a tour of Britain. He also appeared for the New Zealand Colts and, being of Samoan descent, played a test for Western Samoa in 1986.

In the 1987-88-89 seasons, despite problems from his religious principles forbidding Sunday play, it seemed as if Jones was a player blessed and he was one of the best All Blacks in the World Cup triumph. He was the first man to score a World Cup try and in one of the pool matches against Fiji he showed the finesse and judgment of a centre in putting wing Craig Green away for a try.

But the knee injury against the Pumas ruled him out for nearly 12 months and when he returned towards the end of the 1990 season, though still superb, he may have been not quite the same dynamic player.

Nevertheless, he was taken to the 1991 World Cup tournament and he scored in the opening match against England at Twickenham. But Jones's unavailability for three Sunday matches in the 1991 tournament was a factor which did not help the All Blacks' bid to retain the title won in 1987. The composition of the squad to cover for Jones was also direly affected when another of the loose forwards, Mike Brewer, failed a fitness test and was a late withdrawal.

Jones was not chosen for the 1995 World Cup in South Africa because of the Sunday complication and the tough decision taken by then All Black coach Laurie Mains was undoubtedly justified. Yet that was not to be, as many had assumed, the end of Jones's All Black career even if another injury, a broken jaw, had ruled him out of the 1993 tour of England and Scotland and in 1997 against Fiji there was another serious knee problem.

But increasingly in the mid 1990s Jones had been making the switch, both with Auckland and the All Blacks, from being an open side tearaway to the more conservative, less flamboyant but more physical demands of becoming a blind side flanker. As a number six, with his strength, commitment and fierce close quarter tackling, he was especially effective in 1996, when the All Blacks scored a record 43-6 win over the Wallabies at Athletic Park, won the inaugural tri-nations title and won a test series for the first time over the Springboks in South Africa.

But by 1998, when he was 33, it was clear he was now beginning to feel the effects of his many injuries and after some disastrous All Black results that season he became one of the casualties, being dropped for the final two tests of that season.

He played for the Blues again in the 1999 Super 12 and for Auckland in the national provincial championship, having the satisfaction of being in a team which won the final.

Jones won many plaudits for his on field deeds, even being acclaimed by some judges as the greatest rugby player of all time. That may have been arguable, but he certainly would be a candidate any dream All Black XV.

Of part Samoan heritage, he was a splendid role model off the field as well. Always polite and quietly spoken, and a solid student who gained two university degrees, he won respect for the dignified manner with which he stuck to his principles.

In 2003 the International Rugby Hall of Fame Trust inducted Jones into the sport's International Hall of Fame.

Profile by Lindsay Knight
for the New Zealand Rugby Museum.