Rugby great receives knighthood
As he bowed beneath the sword carried by Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy, Sir Michael Jones’ thoughts were of his late mother.
She raised the rugby great after his father died when Jones was 4.
He said the honour of being knighted at Government House in Wellington on Thursday was a tribute to a great mother who was no longer there, to his whanau, his wife and children who had supported him, and the aunties and uncles who helped raise him.
Jones was awarded a knighthood for being a driver of economic and social development for Pacific people in New Zealand, and in the Pacific region.
After the ceremony he said he was ‘‘in a bit of a daze at the moment’’ and felt very humbled by the honour.
‘‘It was wonderful to be there with some wonderful fellow New Zealanders, I felt very privileged. I see this as a gift from fellow Kiwis, from my own community, and it’s a gift from God.’’
He said it belonged not just to his family but those who had gone before him, and been pioneers in trying to create a better society for Pacific people, and his colleagues who worked every day for their people.
While widely recognised as one of the country’s rugby greats, having been capped 55 times as an All Black between 1987 and 1998, and coaching the Samoan rugby team in 2004, since he hung up his boots Jones has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of Pacific people. He founded and is chairman of the Village Community and Youth Trust, which he opened in 2003 to keep young Pacific and Maori people out of gang activity.
In 2010 he set up the Village Sports Academy, as part of the wider Village trust, and championed the establishment of of a mentoring programme helping Pacific students to stay in school, and a learning academy for teens who had dropped out.
He also established the Pacific Peoples Advancement Trust, and is a trustee of a number of organis- ations dedicated to improving the social and economic situation of Pacific people.
He felt his work was a calling and said rugby had been a great platform for him, that had allowed him to give back to his community. ‘‘When I retired I knew I had to steward the gift of being an All Black and use it wisely and effectively particularly to contribute to my community, and in doing that contribute to society, as what is good for Maori and Pacific people is good for New Zealand.’’
Having a mother who demonstrated those values of giving back every day of her life was a huge part in shaping that, Jones said.