Ian Jones (rugby union, born 1967)
A cerebral lock who redefined the role with his agility and skill, forming one of the most effective partnerships in All Blacks history.
Born 1967 (age 59)·Rugby player·Birthday: April 17·Generation X
Biography
Ian Jones emerged from Northland to become a fixture in the All Blacks' second row for nearly a decade. Debuting in 1990, he defied the era's expectation that locks were merely towering enforcers. Standing a relatively modest 6'6" in a position of giants, Jones played with a rare athleticism and technical precision, his lineout prowess and intelligent support play becoming his trademarks. His long-standing partnership with Robin Brooke, beginning in 1992, provided the stable, skillful core of the New Zealand pack during a period of dominance. Jones's 79 tests, a record for a lock at his retirement, were a testament not to brute force, but to a consistently high-level understanding of the game's intricate demands.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Ian was born in 1967, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ian Was Born
The biggest hits of 1967
#1 Movie
The Jungle Book
Best Picture
In the Heat of the Night
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Ian's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1967Born
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1972Started school
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1980Became a teenager
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Could drive
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1985Could vote
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Turned 21
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1997Turned 30
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 40
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 50
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 59 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played 79 test matches for the New Zealand All Blacks, a record for a lock at the time of his retirement.
- Formed a celebrated and enduring lock partnership with Robin Brooke that anchored the All Blacks pack from 1992 to 1998.
- Was selected for the All Blacks over physically larger contenders, cementing the value of skill and agility in the position.
Did You Know?
His All Black debut was against Scotland at Carisbrook, Dunedin, on June 16, 1990.
He was 23 years and 60 days old when he earned his first test cap.
He played his provincial rugby for North Harbour and Northland.
“A good lock does the hard work so the backs can shine.”
