Border closure: 'Tough' times continue for Phil Kingsley Jones' family

Phil Kinglsey Jones' son, former Welsh test star and captain Kingsley Jones, right, has applied for a border exemption to enter New Zealand from Canada to get to his father's funeral. Photo / Supplied

Phil Kingsley Jones will be farewelled by family, friends and high-profile members of the rugby community at the home ground of his beloved Counties Manukau team.

But potentially missing will be his 51-year-old son, former Welsh test star and captain, and current Canadian national team coach, Kingsley Jones.

The former manager of Jonah Lomu – who was also a respected entertainer and popular figure on the speaking circuit – died in Auckland 12 days ago after battling severe ill-health following a fall at his home in early April.

Phil Kingsley Jones was aged 72.

His family confirmed this week that his funeral would be delayed until the Auckland region returned to alert level 1; which currently has no limits on the number of people who could attend. Currently the region is at alert level 2, which allows for a maximum funeral size of 100 people. But on October 5, the Government will debate a potential move for Auckland to level 1.

But regardless of when the funeral is held, Kingsley Jones confirmed from Canada that he might not be able to be there. His hopes rest with an application to Immigration New Zealand to be allowed in on humanitarian grounds.

"The past two or three months the biggest thing in my mind, the biggest stress, was I was hoping he gets better because of the scenario where I couldn't attend the funeral," Kingsley told the Herald.

"As much as coming to terms with losing him, the biggest thing in the forefront of my mind is the fact that there's a possibility that I couldn't attend, which is [heart-breaking]."

Phil Kingsley Jones loved family, rugby and making people laugh. Photo / NZME

Under current border restrictions, Jones will need an exemption from Immigration New Zealand to enter the country.

Currently, the borders are closed to most non-New Zealand residents, unless they have a "critical" reason to travel here.

As Kingsley is not a New Zealander, he will need to apply for "critical purpose travel" approval. If that is successful, with Jones' bid based on humanitarian grounds, he will then have to undergo a 14-day quarantine period on his arrival.

He would also have to complete a further 14-day quarantine period on his eventual return to Canada.

"For me to attend the funeral it is going to take five weeks out ... to spend two days [in New Zealand]; two weeks quarantine coming back, two weeks quarantine going there, plus travel.

"It would be tough being by myself for two weeks quarantine without my family, but it is the same for everyone in the world [travelling]. I would gladly do that to support my family at the farewell and be there obviously for him."

A spokesperson for Immigration said that as of September 22, 38,059 requests for border exemptions had been lodged "across all exception categories". From that number, 9198 requests had resulted in an Invitation to Apply being issued.

In terms of applications for exemptions based on humanitarian reasons, as of September 16, 12732 applications had been lodged. Of that number, 1159 had been successful.

Relevant factors when considering if humanitarian reasons justify the grant of a border exception include: the applicant's connection to New Zealand, whether New Zealand is their primary place of residence, the applicant's connection to the place they are currently located in, whether the applicant has any alternative options, and the impact of not granting a visa and entry permission.

As well as coaching the Canadian men's national team, Kingsley is also Rugby Canada's performance director for men's rugby.

In a social media post, the family of the popular rugby identity said Phil Kingsley Jones had "always expressed his wish for a big sendoff" in the lounge named after him at Counties Manukau's Navigation Homes Stadium, Pukekohe.

"In these extraordinary times, Phil's entire family want to fulfil his last wish."

The post said: "Therefore we will wait for alert level 1 to be announced hopefully in two weeks' time. At which time we will send out a further notice confirming funeral service details."

Phil died last Tuesday at his home, surrounded by his wife Verina and his two daughters Vikki and Rhianon.

Kingsley, who is based in Vancouver Island, said the family was obviously doing it "tough" after the death of their widely popular and respected father.

"It is a tough time. And I think the toughest was over the previous three or four months when you look at your phone and hope that you haven't had that phone call [to say Dad has died] ... you are fearing the worst.

"Over the last three weeks I knew his health wasn't good and you look back and I probably started the grieving process then."

Tributes personally made to the family include from former All Blacks coach Sir Graham Henry, Lions and Chiefs coach Warren Gatland and even "the guy from our village who streaked at the England/Wales game".

"That is the audience that he touched ... the man in the street who only dreamed of getting on the field, and some of the best people in rugby," Kingsley said.

While much of the attention had been on Phil's long and successful association with both Lomu – professional rugby's first global mega-star – and Counties Manukau rugby, Kingsley said his loved ones would remember him for much more.

That included first and foremost being a loving father, grandfather and great grandfather. They would also always remember his successful entertainment career, which was kickstarted in the 1970s in the UK after starring in the New Faces TV show.

Phil Kingsley Jones' three children (l-r) Vikki, Kingsley and Rhianon. Photo / Supplied

"There are so many things he has achieved," Kingsley said. "He might have passed at 72, but he is a guy who I really believed crammed in 100 years' worth into his life. It is almost like the story of Forrest Gump.

"And he had a positive effect on whoever he met. It didn't matter your background, he would take the time to talk to people. It's a gift he had."

Kingsley said he and his sisters all knew "how proud" Phil was of them.

"My first game for Wales was against Western Australia at the WACA in Perth [in 1996]. He flew over from Auckland," Kingsley remembered.

"He was coming over for those games [on the Welsh team's tour] and those are the memories that I love ... of him crying when he held my jersey in his arms before I played for Wales the first time."

Phil was a respected club player in Wales during his own playing career but was never capped by the national team.

He was also widely adored for his sharp sense of humour.

It was a trait which was at-times matched by his children, Kingsley revealed.

"We used to have a personal joke. I used to say to him, 'You know what it is like playing for Wales'. And then I'd go, 'Oh, no you didn't ... you never did, did you'. Whenever he got too big for his boots I would throw a comment like that in."

In an earlier interview with the Herald on Sunday, Vikki Kingsley Jones Mowles told of how her father had fought bravely since being injured in the fall.

He also tried his best to make others laugh "right until the end".

While devastated by his father's death, Kingsley said he was relieved he was with loved ones when he took his final breath, and added he was glad to be also able to talk to his dad openly in his final weeks.

"We are very sad, but the positive thing is that he died with his wife and two daughters with him, on his own terms," Kingsley said.

"Two weeks' ago on a Sunday evening, he told me 'I don't think I am long before I go'. He was so brave about it, he told me he was afraid to go to sleep because he didn't think he would wake up ... it was a pretty tough call.

"In one way it is really good that we were able to have those conversations. But it has been a tough few months."