 All right everybody, what is going on? Welcome back to another video. I want to thank you for being here. I want to say I hope you've enjoyed the list. I don't know exactly what number of the top 10 this one will be because we're not numbering them. But these are the 10 greatest New Zealand All Black Rugby players of all time. Michael Jones. Sir Michael Jones was a player that I didn't get to see personally play a hell of a lot. His career was was blighted by injury but we will get into that. Michael Jones, Michael Niko Jones was born in Auckland New Zealand on 8th April which is my sister's birthday believe it or not. 1965 he was listed at 1.85 meters tall which is 6 foot 1 which is my height believe it or not and 98 kilograms or 216 pounds. Michael Jones was named as All Black number 882 when he made his debut in 1987. Michael Jones played a total of 55 test matches for the All Blacks between 1987 and 1998. Although due to having two serious knee injuries one in 1989 and one in 1997 and a broken jaw in 1993 he only played 55 matches when the team actually played close to 90 during that time. Michael Jones was always considered the top pick during his career although due to those injuries he missed you know almost 40 matches which is tragic really. Michael Jones played as a forward on the team but had the skills and the pace of a back. He scored 13 tries in his 55 matches which was a lot for a forward at the time. In the year 2000 Michael Jones was voted the third-gracest New Zealand All Black to play the game ever behind the great Colin Pine Tree Meads which is also on this list and Sean Fitzpatrick. John Hart, ex All Black coach and ex Auckland coach. When he first selected Michael Jones to the Auckland Provincial team was quoted as saying he was the almost perfect rugby player. Michael Jones as well as Sean Fitzpatrick was a member of the Dynasty Auckland Provincial Rugby team and I'm just going to run through a few of his titles here which he won most of with Sean Fitzpatrick as well as a few other legendary All Blacks. We've got between 1985 and 1999 Auckland won nine provincial titles, five Super Six Championships and defended the Ranfurly Shield a record 61 consecutive times. Now that is absolutely ridiculous that means that Auckland were unbeaten at their home ground for 61 consecutive games between 1985 and 1993 and Michael Jones was an important part of that. Just like a lot of players on this list Michael Jones was more than just a rugby player. He was a pillar of strength especially for the Pacific Island community in New Zealand. He is of Samoan heritage and he also coached the Samoan National Rugby team from 2004 to 2007. Now Michael Jones played for New Zealand between 1987 and 1998 and in 1990 three years into his All Black career he received a New Zealand medal for service to the Pacific Island community so even that early in his career he had a mission outside of rugby. You know he knew that his position in rugby was going to be worth more than just the game. In 1997 nearing the end of his All Blacks career Jones was inducted into the New Zealand Order of Merit and 20 years later he was knighted and became Sir Michael Jones for his contribution to the Pacific Island community in New Zealand and around the world actually. In fact I just had a little story here there wasn't much information on Wikipedia about his knighthood and there's just a quote here from the great Sir Michael Jones and it starts with he felt his work was a calling and said rugby had been a great platform for him that 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 Māori 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 in Jones he said. That was in 2017 only two years ago. Michael Jones has always been one of the greatest rugby players of all time and it seems that didn't just start when he started playing Provincial Rugby or All Blacks Rugby because I read here that his talent for playing was discovered early very early as a 10 year old tackling 15 to 18 year olds. You know that kid in the team that kid in the team that's just bigger than everyone else well he didn't play in that team he actually played in the team above and above and above that to try and I guess test himself. He went to Henderson High School and is credited as being one of the main reasons why they turned that team from being very mediocre high school into one of the most successful high schools in New Zealand rugby. Michael Jones was not just a rugby player he's everything we've talked about but he's also a very very smart man and he has three degrees under his belt. Now how many professional athletes do you know that have three degrees? They might have one well they might have two but they not many have three and so that is just another feather in the cap I guess. This man Michael Jones absolutely legend I don't have any particular I don't have any personal stories on the man but what you will see is some video excerpts from this this DVD that I've managed to acquire it's absolutely fantastic it's going to give you a nice rundown with some nice footage good quality footage which is important of the great man Sir Michael Jones so sit back relax enjoy and I want to say go all blacks for their first match against South Africa in the 2019 Rugby World Cup let's go. Grant Fox kicks out it's 16 points to three and the Pumas have had a good 10 minutes now but here's the New Zealand team are next again ah this is the tactics that beat the French Stonely waits all the way under the posts. Arguably until the arrival of Richie McCall Michael Jones was generally considered to be the greatest ever all black open side flanker certainly Jones matched McCall for pace and athleticism and this combined with a fierce tackle and the ball skills of a midfield player made him one of the most naturally gifted players of all time. I can't I can't blame you can't blame Scotland he's a rugby player but look at the speed the black shirts are approaching oh there's a bit of obstruction went in Jones got the bounce and in with a dive under the posts unfortunately Jones career was marred by serious injury in particular he suffered a knee problem in 1989 which kept him out of the side for over a year however he never lost his strength and commitment and his ability to break a tackle. Coming on the all-black side Shelford up to Kerwin Jones Michael Jones and Michael Jones does it again and it's his second for the day all blacks have scored 10 tries on the test match this afternoon. Here it comes again and Jones was very lucky here he shouldn't really have been bold but great balance too he weaved and dummied and found it very easy to go in getting very easy now for these good forwards. Another headache for the selectors was the fact that Jones refused to play rugby on a Sunday due to his religious beliefs this became an issue especially during a World Cup in 1991 he was unavailable for three matches which led to him not being picked for the 1995 tournament as the quarters and semi-finals were scheduled for a Sunday. Despite not being available for some of the World Cup fixtures Jones still made his mark at the tournament scoring the opening try of the inaugural World Cup against the Italians. And again scoring the opening try in the victory over the French in the final. And to complete the hat-trick Jones scored the opening try of the tournament in 1991 this time against the English. And again scoring the opening try of the tournament in 1991 this time against the Italians.