Rugby: Legendary Jones calls it quits

By Chris Rattue

Rugby will farewell one of the true legends of the game as Auckland attempt to snare another NPC title, with Michael Jones announcing his retirement.

The 34-year-old loose forward, who played 55 tests up until last year, told his Auckland teammates on Friday evening that this would be his final season. He informed the Eden Park crowd following Auckland's 50-15 win over Counties Manukau on Saturday. Auckland rugby had already dedicated the match as a tribute to Jones, who said he had finally made his decision early in the week.

"I want to save a bit of my body and myself in terms of being able to enjoy my kids and family," Jones said later at a press conference as he sat next to his wife Maliena and 11-month-old daughter Tiare Maina. "... it was better to make the decision when people were still saying you should stay on."

Jones received an International Olympic Committee ethics
award at the after-match ceremony. And there was a strong religious aspect to the public farewell, including sentiments in the speech from his close friend and team-mate Eroni Clarke, and from Jones himself, whose final words to the crowd were: "To God be the glory."

In a mix of his competitiveness and humility, he suggested a drawn match would nave been ideal, to provide a tribute to retiring Steelers coach Mac McCallion and veteran lock Jim Coe, then cheekily added: "No, not really."

He joked later that his speech had been markedly different from that of another famous All Black Jones, Northlander Peter Jones, who told the Eden Park crowd he was "absolutely buggered" after his crucial try against the 1956 Springboks. Michael Jones told his press conference: "I'm not sure I can say that ... but I am wasted."

Jones played the full 80 minutes against Counties Manukau and put on another performance typical of the player he has become, full of grafting tight work and strong tackles.

Injuries, including two knee reconstructions, helped reshape a career that exploded on to the world stage with his electrifying openside display during the All Blacks' victorious 1987 World Cup campaign.

On Saturday, it was some of the new talent in Auckland rugby, Orene Ai'i, Doug Howlett, Caleb Ralph and explosive hooker Keven Mealamu, who provided the thrills in the open spaces, much the way Jones did in his free-running days. Howlett and Ralph have already been noticed, but Ai'i and Mealamu look brilliant young talents as well.

First five-eighths Ai'i allies extreme acceleration with a bullet-like and long pass which gives his outside backs maximum room to work.

After the Steelers had scored the first try, he ripped down the right-hand touchline to finish off an Auckland move. Then Mealamu shone in the open, producing a stunning 40m run to score

Auckland's second. After leading 22-10 at halftime in front of a 15,000 crowd, Auckland raced away from the Steelers in the third quarter with tries to Adrian Cashmore and the excellent Xavier Rush.

The sharp Auckland moves gave way to a more muddled effort in the final quarter, but it was still a performance to marvel at by a young team trying to pay tribute to a man who would have been a hero to most or all of them.

Captain Paul Thomson said the team had been expecting Jones' retirement notice, but added: "To hear it come out of his mouth, his own words, it was quite emotional. It brought home what an honour it was to play with him." Coach Wayne Pivac said it had been obvious that many in the Auckland side wanted to get on the scoresheet on a famous day.

Jones himself though couldn't manage it over the tryline, so he kicked the final conversion from in front of the posts instead. It was his second goalkick for Auckland, his other attempt and success also coming against Counties. He had spotted an opportunity during Saturday's game to get over the line but claimed "the legs wouldn't get me there."

On current form, Auckland will be hot favourites to not only farewell Jones - who said he had not fully decided what he would do in future - with an NPC title, but also in a style that befits a truly great player and character.