Savae La'auli

Sir Michael Jones

CHAIRPERSON

Savae La'auli Sir Michael Jones is a New Zealand former rugby union player and coach. Jones was a member of the Auckland team which dominated New Zealand rugby in the late 1980s and 1990s, and the Auckland Blues team which won the first two Super 12 championships, in 1996 and 1997.

He played once for Western Samoa, and 55 times for New Zealand, including winning the first Rugby World Cup in 1987.

After retiring as a player, he served as coach of Samoa from 2004 to 2007. Jones was awarded the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal, for service to the Pacific Island community. Jones was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM), for services to rugby.

In 2003, he was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame. He was promoted to Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (KNZM) in the 2017 Queen's Birthday Honours, for services to the Pacific community and youth.

Jones has been given the matai title (Samoan chiefly title) of La'auli and Savae from his ‘aiga (extended family).