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Live sport on SN this weekend‘This cannot leave': Eden Park battles to keep Sir Michael Jones statue at national stadium
Sport Nation • January 23rd, 2026 11:02 am
Sir Michael Jones outside Eden Park where his statue currently resides | Photo: Photosport
A treasured monument to All Blacks rugby folkore may soon be on the move, with the announcement the statue of Sir Michael Jones may be leaving its spiritual home of Eden Park.
The bronze statue, depicting Jones' try against Italy at the 1987 World Cup, has been put up for sale under instructions from the liquidators of CBL Insurance Limited.
The predicament has seen Eden Park CEO Nick Sautner on the offensive, desperate to find some way to ensure - whoever purchases it - the statue remains at New Zealand's national stadium.
"We have been trying to work with the liquidator to ensure that the statue does remain at Eden Park, and that's the critical point," Sautner told Sport Nation.
"This is a monument, not only to Eden Park, but also to New Zealand's identity.
"We want to ensure that the Sir Michael Jones statue stays at its rightful place, our national stadium."
The statue was unveiled in 2011, prior to New Zealand hosting the World Cup.
Sautner says his team have been working with the liquidators over the past five years to try and avoid this scenario, but unfortunately their hand has now been forced.
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"The conversation in the initial days was whether or not it was on permanent loan to Eden Park or had its ownership transferred, and there was much conversation and debate," he explained.
"They've advised us they have to go through this public process. We were hoping to come to a private negotiation or resolution, but that wasn't possible. We did make an offer in the early days that wasn't accepted or wasn't able to be accepted.
"We are also willing to work in with a business to make an offer to the liquidator. We just want to ensure that everyone understands that this cannot leave Auckland or New Zealand or Eden Park."
Eden Park runs a tour programme which Sautner says hosts upwards of 1,000 tourists per week, who all end up at the Dave Gallaher and Sir Michael Jones statues - considered the stadium's crown jewels.
Sautner admits his biggest fear is that the iconic statue will be scooped up and relocated by a rugby collector off-shore.
"Whether it be a rugby lover in France who thinks it would look nice in their front garden, there is that risk that someone could think that they could purchase it and take it off site.
"We know the metal value is minimal, it's more just the historic value and the sentiment that it brings to our national stadium, the fortress Eden Park.
"One of those things that we do hope that the eventual purchaser understands the importance of this monument to not only Eden Park, but to our country's identity."
Listen to the full interview below:
