Michael Jones

Birth Name: Michael Niko Jones

Place of Birth: Auckland, New Zealand

Date of Birth: 8 April, 1965

Ethnicity:
*father – Scottish, English, Welsh
*mother – Samoan

Michael Jones is a New Zealand rugby union player and coach. He played from 1985 to 1999, and coached the Samoan rugby team from 2004 to 2007. Michael holds the Samoan matai (chief) titles of La’auli and Savae.

Michael has said:

People have only seemed to find out recently that my father was a full New Zealander. A lot of people still don’t seem to know, not for a moment do I not appreciate my Samoan side but I am a Kiwi-Samoan who was blessed to be born in this country.

Michael is the son of Mainamaileafi (Maina) Apa and Derek Leonard Foster Jones, who were teachers. He is married to Maliena, with whom he has three children, including rugby player Niko Jones.

His first cousin, once removed, is actor KJ Apa. Michael’s maternal grandparents, Niko Vaimasenu’u Apa and Taaloga Kaiona/Ta’aloga Apa, were also KJ’s paternal great-grandparents. His maternal uncle, Asi Falana’ipupu Vaimasenu’u Niko Apa, was Samoa’s first Consul General in Auckland, New Zealand.

Michael’s paternal grandfather was Sidney Leonard Jones (the son of Leonard Llewellyn Jones and Sarah Foster). Sidney’s parents were from Mansfield, Nottingham, England. Michael’s great-grandfather Leonard was the son of Thomas Jones, from Montgomery, Powys, Wales, and of Maria Salter, from Hook Norton, Oxfordshire, England.

Michael’s paternal grandmother was Kathleen Dorothy Gibson (the daughter of Herbert Gibson and Isobel Evelyn Maud Hale). Herbert was the son of Robert Gibson, from Dalkeith, Midlothian, Scotland, and of Margaret Petrie, from Durris, Kincardineshire, Scotland. Isobel was the daughter of Alfred Henry Hale and Emily Lawrence, who were from Hertfordshire, England.

Michael’s maternal grandfather was Niko Vaimasenu’u Apa (the son of Niko Vaimasenu’u Tamapua Apa and Meripa/Melipa Apa). Michael’s great-grandfather Niko was from Moata’a, Samoa. Taaloga was from Sapapali’i, Samoa, the daughter of Tafeamaalii Taauta Kaiona and Nerisa/Nelisa Muliaumavae.

Michael’s maternal grandmother was Taaloga Kaiona/Ta’aloga Apa (the daughter of Tafeamaalii Taauta Kaiona and Nerisa/Nelisa Muliaumavae).

Sources: Genealogy of Michael Jones – https://www.geni.com

Obituary of Michael’s maternal uncle, Asi Falana’ipupu Vaimasenu’u Niko Apa – https://www.rnz.co.nz