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"It's about stamping your authority": All Blacks legend on defending the Fortress, career in rugby

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Sat, 27 Sept 2025, 2:53pm

"It's about stamping your authority": All Blacks legend on defending the Fortress, career in rugby

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Sat, 27 Sept 2025, 2:53pm

The Bledisloe Cup has returned to Eden Park and joining Piney for a chat was one of the country’s greatest ever lock forwards. 

Ian Jones toured with the 1989 All Blacks, making his test debut the following year against Scotland at Carisbrook – scoring a try in the match. 

Jones played 105 games for the All Blacks, 79 of which were tests, and is now the GM of the All Blacks Experience – an interactive attraction dedicated to New Zealand rugby. 

He joined Piney to preview tonight’s clash against the Wallabies and to look back at his incredible career with the national team.  

“To think we haven’t lost a game at Eden Park since 1994, 51 test matches ago, is crazy,” Jones says. 

“This is why this game tonight, and every game since then, you’ve got to defend that Fortress.” 

“It is about mindset, it is about authority, it’s about the first ten minutes of this game, to make it so the Wallabies go, s***, this is hard, there’s no way we can win here.” 

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