Michael Jones has been described by many rugby critics as a complete player who dictated how the game should be played. A supremely gifted athlete who, when fully fit, would make the top of the All Blacks’ first-choice team list, The Times named him as one of the world’s greatest players of all time.

Jones, born on April 8th 1965, made his first-class debut for Auckland at the age of 20. His international debut came at the age of 22 for Western Samoa, for whom he qualified through one of his parents. But it was in the 1987 Rugby World Cup that he really caught the attention of fans. On his debut, he scored the very first try at the biggest stage – the World Cup finals. Jones was then exceptional in the final, stunning the French attackers and defensive line as New Zealand lifted the inaugural championship.

An incredible ball player and adept in defense, Jones’ hallmark was his ability to anticipate the breakdown and make tackles better than any defender. Nicknamed the 'Iceman' because of the cool but confident manner in which he played, Jones’ career was limited to just 55 Tests because of serious injuries and his religious beliefs, which did not allow him to play on Sundays.

Jones began as an openside flanker, and despite not being much more than 1.85m he was capable of a devastating tackle and leap. However, in 1989 a grim knee injury sustained during a Test against Argentina ruled him out for nearly 12 months. When Jones returned at the end of the 1990 season the skill was definitely there, but the speed and fluency had diminished somewhat.

He was picked in the All Blacks’ squad for the 1991 World Cup and scored the tournament’s first try, against England at Twickenham. A devout Christian, his refusal to play on Sundays meant he missed three matches in the World Cup and the All Blacks’ failed to retain their title.

A broken jaw ruled him out of a tour to England and Scotland in 1993 and Jones was overlooked for the 1995 World Cup in South Africa due to his beliefs. By this time he had began to play as either blindside flanker or No. 8, due to a lack of speed. He was principally crucial in 1996, when the All Blacks beat Australia 43-6, win the inaugural Tri-Nations title and a Test series for the first time over the Springboks in South Africa.

In 1997 against Fiji he sustained a second knee injury and a year later, when he was 33, Jones was dropped from the final two Tests of that season. He took over as assistant coach of Samoa in 2001.

With 13 international tries and a brilliant 1987 World Cup, Jones will be remembered as a revolutionary flanker.