Rugby titans to talk at gala

Ex-All Black Ian Jones is an ambassador for the All Blacks Experience. Photo/Nick Reed

Four rugby titans are in town this month and towering above them all is Ian Jones, (Kamo to anyone who knows anything about rugby).

He is arguably the greatest lock in our rugby history, with 79 tests, second only to Sean Fitzpatrick's 92.

He will speak at a gala dinner along with other game greats, Josh Kronfeld, Jeff Wilson, and Eric Rush.

We all have our sporting heroes and Kamo is a favourite. I'm not a fan of the sporting show pony, but talking to Kamo confirms he's a down-to-earth bloke who reckons hard work is the key to most All Black success.

"Natural talent is the smallest, most minute part of it. There are no secrets to success, just hard work and application. It is a very, very rare beast in my experience to get a natural talent who also has the determination, perseverance and strength - most of us are not Richie McCaws."

If you have children who have loads of enthusiasm, but are not exactly carving it up on the sporting pitch, talking to Kamo puts things into perspective.

"Fourth is a great position when you are a kid. Long-term, they are the ones who know what it is like to dig deep when they are in a stressful situation, or a test match.

"When things come easy, all of a sudden, a time comes where you need to find something extra, and you haven't got it when you need it," he says.

He teaches his own children about the need to keep going despite knock-backs. "I teach them it's not about early success, it's about overcoming learning obstacles."

And he knows all about playing the long game. He never got chosen for a New Zealand representative side growing up.

"I had one good year when I was 21 and the next year I was an All Black. "I still look back with my school friends and you would never imagine me in the position."

And when it comes to his own sporting heroes, it's a quiet man who did his talking in the water who is his greatest hero.

Kamo's first sporting passion was swimming. He did a lot growing up and still does. So when he finally got to meet his greatest hero, Olympic champion Danyon Loader, he was excited.

Understandably, Michael Phelps is up there too. But it's Phelps' training regime that Kamo finds most intriguing. "I would love to watch him train - to see what they do, the effort they put in when you have done a lot of training, I want to see what makes them special.

Being great doesn't just happen. I would love to see a real Michael Phelps' training work out, or tour de France rider work out and see how they become great.

Ian Jones (Kamo)

Training might be where success begins, but he says the values you embrace as an All Black become part of your core being. "Integrity, respect, humility, hard work and dedication - those are the values I see as All Black values.

"People know you as an All Black. That's how they see me. That's their direct link to you. I am always myself, but you learn to live the All Black values 24/7 and they have become my values."

the fine print
What: The Tauranga Gala Dinner
Where: ASB Baypark Arena
When: Thursday, September 22, 7pm
Booking tables, tickets: www.taurangagaladinner.co.nz