Phil Kingsley Jones

Coal miner. Stand-up comedian. Manager. Phil Kingsley Jones has done it all, but is best known for his association with rugby's most explosive player - the great Jonah Lomu.

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Coal miner. Stand-up comedian. Manager. Phil Kingsley Jones has done it all, but is known best for his association with rugby's most explosive player - the great Jonah Lomu. While the giant wing terrorized opponents on the field, Kingsley Jones masterminded his rise from humble bank clerk to millionaire sportsman. Kingsley Jones and writer John Matheson take you inside his friendship with the rugby colossus to reveal the inner secrets of rugby's most famous partnership, including the heartbreak of Lomu's career-threatening kidney complaint. HOW DID I MANAGE THAT? is more than a book about rugby, with the enduring Welshman sharing his upbringing in the Welsh valleys - including his marriage at 16 and becoming a father at 17 - as well as his show business career after winning the popular UK television show 'New Faces'. After working the tough comedy club circuit in the UK, Kingsley Jones appeared on high-profile TV shows, and worked as a stand-up comedian alongside some of the biggest names in show business, including Cliff Richard, The Beach Boys, Neil Sedaka, Gene Pitney, and Roy Orbison.
His move to New Zealand in 1983 saw him go from opening for international stars to selling pies. In those days he played rugby, for Mt Roskill in Auckland. Eventually he became coaching director for Counties, where he met a shy 13-year-old boy called Jonah ...