Jones played initially as an open side flanker, and made his provincial debut for Auckland aged 20 in the 1985
National Provincial Championship, scoring three tries against
South Canterbury. He also played for New Zealand Colts. He made his international debut for
Western Samoa, for whom he qualified through his mother, in 1986. and played in four games, including the final, Jones was omitted from the 1995 squad as he would have been unavailable for the quarterfinal and semifinal games. Between 1985 and 1999 Auckland won 9
NPC titles, 5 Super 6 championships, and defended the
Ranfurly Shield a record 61 consecutive times (between 1985 and 1993), while the Blues won the first two
Super 12 competitions in 1996 and 1997. In 1997 he succeeded
Zinzan Brooke as captain of Auckland and the Blues. Due to his sporting successes, Jones was one of the most recognisable
Samoan New Zealanders figures in the country in the 1980s. He was an outstanding openside flanker, and scored 13 international tries. Later in his career, and after his injuries had reduced the speed which characterised his early career, he played predominantly as a blindside flanker or number eight. In 1998 he was dropped from the New Zealand team at the age of 33 after a loss over Australia{{cite web ==Coaching career==