Tana Umaga
Encyclopedia
Jonathan Ionatana Falefasa "Tana" Umaga, ONZM
(icon; ˈtana ˈuːmaŋa; born 27 May 1973 in Lower Hutt
) is a New Zealand rugby union
footballer and former captain of the national team, the All Blacks
. He played for the Hurricanes
starting with the Super 12's inception in 1996 and took over the captaincy in 2003. Graham Henry
named him as All Blacks
captain in 2004; under his leadership the All Blacks won 19 of their 21 games including the clean sweep of the British and Irish Lions
and the Grand Slam
in 2005. At the end of 2005, after 74 Test
caps
(where he scored 36 tries), Umaga retired from international rugby. Umaga played four games in 2007 for the Wellington Lions in the Air New Zealand Cup
, in order to play 100 matches for the province, before taking up the position of coach at Toulon
.
His coaching future was uncertain in the 2008–09 season, as Toulon was a poor performer in the first half of the season and facing a relegation
scare, and there was speculation that he would be replaced by Philippe Saint-André
. Umaga returned to a playing role for Toulon in the second half of that season, and at the same time announced that he would not continue as head coach beyond that season. After helping Toulon exit relegation trouble (they ultimately finished ninth that season), he retired as a player, and remained at Toulon as assistant coach for backs under Saint-André. In March 2010, Umaga again returned to the playing ranks following a serious hip injury to Christian Loamanu
. Umaga returned to New Zealand after the 2009–10 French season
to become a player-coach with Counties Manukau
and now with the Waikato Chiefs in the Super Rugby competition.
to Samoan immigrant
parents, and grew up playing rugby league
. Umaga played for the Wainuiomata Lions
and rose through the ranks, making the Wellington
U-16 and U-17 sides, and was eventually named in the Junior Kiwi side of 1991. That same year he signed with the Newcastle Knights
but within three weeks was back on the plane to New Zealand because of homesickness. He never did play a First-Grade NRL game. In 1993 Tana's brother Mike
, who played rugby union for Manu Samoa
, persuaded him to take up rugby union
in 1994. The brothers played on opposite teams in a Test match between Samoa and New Zealand in 1999 during which Tana Umaga scored two tries (the All Blacks won 71-13).
for the Wellington Lions in 1994 and quickly became a fixture in the starting lineup alongside his brother who also played on the wing. Umaga scored more tries than any other player within the team for three successive years, and in 1996 was selected for the original Hurricanes
squad. In his second season playing for the Hurricanes he scored a New Zealand record of 12 tries (now broken by Rico Gear
) and earned a call up to the national team at the expense of an ill Jonah Lomu
. He scored a try in his debut test match. With Jonah Lomu
regaining his fitness, coupled with a drop in form, Umaga was dropped from the All Blacks until the 1999 season. To accommodate outside backs Umaga, Lomu
, Wilson
and Cullen
1996-99 All Black coach John Hart
moved Fullback Christian Cullen into the midfield.
Tana Umaga became the regular wing in the All Blacks
lineup. Worries about the shape of the team were swept aside when the team smashed Tonga
102-0, in a game where debutantes Troy Flavell
and Doug Howlett
starred. He also played in the first Bledisloe Cup
match in 2000, dubbed "the game played in heaven", scoring an early try. He signed a new four year contract with the NZRU, and when Alama Ieremia
took up a contract in Japan Tana Umaga decided to shift his focus to centre, despite scoring 9 tries in 7 tests on the wing that year. After having played just one match at centre for the Hurricanes
Tana slotted into the midfield for the All Blacks against France
, the team that beat the All Blacks
in the semi-final of the World cup
the previous year. Umaga had a strong game in a victory. The 2000 season was one of Umaga's best, with him being awarded the Kelvin Tremain Memorial Trophy for New Zealand rugby player of the year. While the Smith era introduced a number of new players into the New Zealand
team, they could not reclaim the Tri Nations or Bledisloe Cup
in 2000 or 2001. This led to his sacking and the hiring of former All Black mid-week player and successful Chiefs
coach John Mitchell
.
in John Mitchell
's first squad. Early on, John Mitchell and assistant coach Robbie Deans
favoured Crusader Mark Robinson in the midfield. The squad to play against Italy
and Ireland
as well as compete in the Tri Nations did not feature Umaga. Despite news reports about him carrying a knee injury, on the day when the All Blacks
were to take on Italy
, Umaga played for his club Petone
.
Umaga, along with Taine Randell
the All Blacks 1999 world cup
captain, were asked to play for the New Zealand Barbarians
against the New Zealand Māori
. Randell
himself was Māori and did not wish to play against them, and Umaga was placed on the wing a position stated he didn't want to play. After the game Tana o received a call-up to the national team to play Fiji
, but injured his knee mid game. Tana told the coaches he was fit for selection for the Bledisloe match
tie against Australia
but was again no selected, Daryl Gibson
taking the spot on the bench. Umaga again turned out for Petone
.
Umaga came off the bench against South Africa
at his home ground Westpac Stadium
. Tana would go on to make the Tri-Nations XV; a team based on Zurich world player rankings. Many considered him a good chance to take over the captaincy on the end of year tour from injured regular captain Reuben Thorne
, but that role was instead handed to Taine Randell
. Umaga was to lead the Hurricanes in 2003, taking over from Gordon Slater
, under coach Colin Cooper. The Hurricanes made the semi-finals for just the second time in their history after winning a team record seven times in a row, shedding the inconsistent tag that had plagued them since the competition's inception. His form was recognised and he was rewarded with a spot in the All Blacks, named as vice-captain under Reuben Thorne
who would lead the team to the World Cup
.
In a test match against Wales
on 21 June 2003, Welsh captain Colin Charvis
was knocked out in a tackle from All Blacks forward Jerry Collins
. Umaga stopped playing despite his team being in an attacking position; to check that Charvis had not swallowed his mouthguard. He placed him in the recovery position and for this act, the Council of the International Fair Play Committee
awarded Umaga the Pierre de Coubertin Medal
, a prestigious award for outstanding sportsmanship. Umaga was the first New Zealander to receive the award. The Welsh Rugby Union
also presented him with a figurine to honour the display of sportsmanship.
The All Blacks defeated the Springboks
52-16 and the Wallabies
50-21 away from home in consecutive weeks. New Zealand won both home matches as well, claiming the Tri Nations title and the Bledisloe Cup. This was the first time the All Blacks had won the Bledisloe since 1997. The performance had them regarded as early favourites to win the years World Cup
, along with the eventual winners England
.
The opening match of the tournament was to be the All Black last Rugby World Cup
appearance. In an attempted back line move, Umaga collided with star Five-Eighth Carlos Spencer
. Spencer came out unhurt but unfortunately Umaga suffered a damaged posterior cruciate ligament
in his left knee and was forced to leave the field. Tana would not be play again in the tournament despite being declared fit to play in the semi-final by then All Blacks doctor John Mayhew. Leon MacDonald
the regular backup Fullback, was preferred in the centre spot. The All Blacks would lose the game to Australia 22-10 and again fail to reach the final.
The aftermath of the world cup was similar to the last, as coach John Mitchell
was dropped. Only two coaches applied for the position of All Blacks head coach, Mitchell who re-applied and Graham Henry
. Graham Henry was the former coach of the Blues and was told he would never receive the top job after leaving New Zealand shores to take up a contract with the Wales
national team. Henry's experience in New Zealand and overseas, as well as the skill shown in turning around the Welsh team worked in his favour and he secured the job.
came 11th, was selected to replace Reuben Thorne
. He was the first New Zealander of Pacific Island heritage to captain the All Blacks in a test match. Umaga's captaincy began well, with victory in the first six tests, including two victories against World Cup holders England
. One of them, a 36-3 win in Dunedin
, was at the time the heaviest loss ever by a World Cup holding team. The All Blacks of 2004 successfully managed to regain the Bledisloe Cup
. The winning run came to an end, when the All Blacks lost in both away games against Australia and South Africa
, putting the All Blacks out of contention for the 2004 Tri Nations Series.
In the 2004 end-of-year tour he oversaw the introduction of Dan Carter in the position of First-Five Eighth and a large 45-6 victory over the French
. Umaga also celebrated his 100th match for the Hurricanes, when his team overcame the Blues
. They made the semi-final for the second time in three years, but again stumbled to a loss to the champion Crusaders. In 2005 the British & Irish Lions toured
, on top of the Tri Nations and the potentail Grand Slam
tour of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
Umaga was involved in an incident in the first Test of the Lions tour to New Zealand
on 25 June 2005 that caused friction between the Lions
and All Blacks. Early in the Test, Umaga and hooker Keven Mealamu
upended Lions captain Brian O'Driscoll
in a post-ruck clean-out. O'Driscoll required surgery on a dislocated shoulder and missed the rest of the tour. The British and Irish media accused Umaga of foul play. O'Driscoll and Lions management characterized the incident as a "deliberate spear tackle
". The independent citing commissioner found that neither Umaga nor Mealamu had a case to answer at the time due to inconclusive evidence, but after viewing new amateur footage of the incident, Greg Thomas, communications manager for the sport's governing body, the International Rugby Board
(IRB), described the tackle as "unacceptably dangerous" and stated that IRB was instructing referees to suspend players for three to six months for such offenses. Daily Telegraph London journalist Brendan Gallagher labelled it as one of the fifty 'ugliest moments' in sports.
New Zealand was undefeated during the Lions tour and won the Tri-Nations, which included the retention of the Bledisloe Cup. The IRB shortlisted Umaga for their 2005 International Player of the Year award (an honour eventually won by fellow All Black Dan Carter
). Umaga also led the All Blacks to their second Northern Hemisphere Grand Slam. After playing 74 test matches for his country Tana Umaga confirmed his retirement from international rugby at a press conference on January 10, 2006. His main reason for retiring was to spend more time with his family as he had just had another child with his wife Rochelle. Tana Umaga's announcement led to Richie McCaw
succeeding him as captain.
Umaga handed the Hurricanes
captaincy to All Black number eight Rodney So'oialo
in order to focus on his own game. The Hurricanes reached the semi-finals for the third time in four years. Out drinking after the 2006 Super 14 Final
- in which the Hurricanes lost to the Crusaders - Umaga was seen in a bar hitting team mate Chris Masoe
with a woman's handbag, breaking her cell phone, after Masoe allegedly attempted to strike another patron. Umaga replaced the woman's damaged cell phone, and the woman went on to sell her handbag and broken cell phone for NZD
23,000 on the New Zealand internet auction site Trade Me. In the 2006 Queen's Birthday Honours Umaga was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit
in recognition of his dedicated service to rugby.
In the months to come he was reported to be on the wish lists of many top European clubs; his former All Black's teammate Andrew Mehrtens
was forced to publicly deny rumours that Umaga was a target of his club at the time - Harlequins
. Umaga eventually signed for French club Toulon
that had been recently relegated from the Top 14 to Pro D2
. His contract allowed him to play the entire 2006 Air New Zealand Cup
(ANZ Cup) season for Wellington before travelling to France. He ended up playing only seven matches for Toulon as Wellington made the ANZ Cup final. He nonetheless made roughly €350,000 (USD
438,000/GBP
250,000) that Toulon's co-presidents reportedly paid out of their own pockets. The day before playing his first match for Toulon he was awarded the medal of honour of the city of Toulon (médaille d'or de la ville) by Mayor Hubert Falco. On 29 October 2006, Umaga started in his first game three days after arriving in Toulon scoring his team's only try in a 22-16 victory against Lyon
. He was surprised to see how close to the players the fans were and how noisy the atmosphere was.
Umaga returned to New Zealand at the end of his contract with Toulon following their 7 January 2007 win over Grenoble
. When Umaga arrived in Toulon they were ninth in the Pro D2 table; when he left they had risen to third. Toulon won eight of nine matches with Umaga on the roster - the only loss coming when he was out injured. Umaga played his last season for the Hurricanes in 2007. His last match for them was on 5 May 2007 at Wellington's Westpac Stadium. On 25 September 2007, Umaga released a book detailing his career.
were struggling at midseason and were in danger of relegation. This led to speculation in January 2009 that he would be replaced as manager by Philippe Saint-André
. This was confirmed on 27 January 2009, with Umaga taking on the role as player/manager at the age of 35, and at the same time announcing he would not return as head coach for the following season. A late-season return to form eventually brought Toulon to mid-table safety in ninth place. Saint-André took on the managing role effective at the beginning of the 2009/10 season
, but kept Umaga on as Toulon's backs coach. On Friday, March 12, 2010, Counties Manaukau announced that Umaga had signed for the province as a player coach for the Air New Zealand Cup
. Counties competed well, with two hard-fought Ranfurly Shield
challenges and a peak of second on the points table. Counties ended the season in ninth. On Thursday, October 28, 2010, Umaga signed with the Chiefs super rugby franchise for 2011.
New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
(icon; ˈtana ˈuːmaŋa; born 27 May 1973 in Lower Hutt
Lower Hutt
Lower Hutt is a city in the Wellington region of New Zealand. Its council has adopted the name Hutt City Council, but neither the New Zealand Geographic Board nor the Local Government Act recognise the name Hutt City. This alternative name can lead to confusion, as there are two cities in the...
) is a New Zealand rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
footballer and former captain of the national team, the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
. He played for the Hurricanes
Hurricanes (Super rugby franchise)
The Hurricanes are a New Zealand professional Rugby union team based in Wellington that competes in the Super Rugby competition...
starting with the Super 12's inception in 1996 and took over the captaincy in 2003. Graham Henry
Graham Henry
Graham Henry is a New Zealand Rugby Union coach, and former head coach of the country's national team, the All Blacks. He played rugby union for Canterbury and cricket for Otago in the Plunket Shield. Henry was heavily criticized following the All Blacks quarterfinal exit at the 2007 Rugby World...
named him as All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
captain in 2004; under his leadership the All Blacks won 19 of their 21 games including the clean sweep of the British and Irish Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
and the Grand Slam
Grand Slam (Rugby Union)
In rugby union, a Grand Slam occurs when one team in the Six Nations Championship manages to beat all the others during one year's competition...
in 2005. At the end of 2005, after 74 Test
Test match (rugby union)
Test match in rugby union is a match recognised as being a full international match by at least one of the participating teams' governing bodies. It is an unofficial but widely used term in the sport....
caps
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
(where he scored 36 tries), Umaga retired from international rugby. Umaga played four games in 2007 for the Wellington Lions in the Air New Zealand Cup
Air New Zealand Cup
The ITM Cup is New Zealand's annual professional domestic Rugby union competition, taking place from late July through October . It was founded in 2006 with 14 teams, after the National Provincial Championship was split into two separate competitions. The other 12 provincial teams from the NPC...
, in order to play 100 matches for the province, before taking up the position of coach at Toulon
RC Toulonnais
RC Toulonnais is a French professional rugby union club based in Toulon in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
.
His coaching future was uncertain in the 2008–09 season, as Toulon was a poor performer in the first half of the season and facing a relegation
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
scare, and there was speculation that he would be replaced by Philippe Saint-André
Philippe Saint-André
Philippe Georges Saint-André is a former French rugby union footballer who earned 69 test caps for France between 1990 and 1997, 34 of them as captain. His preferred position was wing but he could also play at Fullback. After retiring, Saint-André found success as a rugby coach in both England and...
. Umaga returned to a playing role for Toulon in the second half of that season, and at the same time announced that he would not continue as head coach beyond that season. After helping Toulon exit relegation trouble (they ultimately finished ninth that season), he retired as a player, and remained at Toulon as assistant coach for backs under Saint-André. In March 2010, Umaga again returned to the playing ranks following a serious hip injury to Christian Loamanu
Christian Loamanu
Christian Loamanu is a Japanese rugby union player. and 108 kg, who plays as a winger. He can also play as centre. He plays in the Top 14 for RC Toulonnais....
. Umaga returned to New Zealand after the 2009–10 French season
2009–10 Top 14 season
Stade de France was listed as an alternate home for Stade Français because the club hosted five of their 13 home matches this season at the national stadium. Similarly, Stadium Municipal was listed as an alternate home for Toulouse, who normally play two Top 14 matches a year at that facility...
to become a player-coach with Counties Manukau
Counties Manukau Rugby Union
The Counties Manukau Rugby Football Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Franklin district of New Zealand. The Steelers colours are red, white, and black horizontal bands. The 'Steelers' moniker is a reference to the nearby Glenbrook steel factory...
and now with the Waikato Chiefs in the Super Rugby competition.
Early life
Tana Umaga was born in Lower HuttLower Hutt
Lower Hutt is a city in the Wellington region of New Zealand. Its council has adopted the name Hutt City Council, but neither the New Zealand Geographic Board nor the Local Government Act recognise the name Hutt City. This alternative name can lead to confusion, as there are two cities in the...
to Samoan immigrant
Samoan New Zealander
Samoan New Zealanders are Samoan immigrants in New Zealand, their descendants, and New Zealanders of Samoan ethnic descent. They constitute one of New Zealand's most sizeable ethnic minorities...
parents, and grew up playing rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
. Umaga played for the Wainuiomata Lions
Wainuiomata Lions
The Wainuiomata Lions are a New Zealand rugby league club based in Wainuiomata, Wellington. They compete in the Wellington Rugby League competition.-Noted Players:...
and rose through the ranks, making the Wellington
Wellington Rugby League
Wellington Rugby League is the local sporting body responsible for the administration of Rugby league in the Greater Wellington region. It is responsible for the local competition of the same name, as well as its representative team, the Wellington rugby league team.- Local Senior Competition :The...
U-16 and U-17 sides, and was eventually named in the Junior Kiwi side of 1991. That same year he signed with the Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
but within three weeks was back on the plane to New Zealand because of homesickness. He never did play a First-Grade NRL game. In 1993 Tana's brother Mike
Mike Umaga
Mike Umaga is a former Samoan rugby union international and brother of former New Zealand rugby union Captain Tana Umaga. He played his brother Tana Umaga on one occasion losing 13 - 71....
, who played rugby union for Manu Samoa
Samoa national rugby union team
The Manu Samoa is the men's representative side of the Samoa Rugby Union in both the 15's and the 7's for international competitions. The Samoa Rugby Union is owned by the affiliated rugby unions of Samoa. In Samoa, Manu Samoa is in honour of a famous Samoan warrior. From 1924 to 1997 Samoa was...
, persuaded him to take up rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
in 1994. The brothers played on opposite teams in a Test match between Samoa and New Zealand in 1999 during which Tana Umaga scored two tries (the All Blacks won 71-13).
1994 - 1999
Tana played wingRugby union positions
In the game rugby union, there are fifteen players on each team, comprising eight forwards and seven backs . Depending upon the competition, there may be up to eight replacement players. Early games consisted primarily of forwards that attacked plus a handful of "tends" that played back in defence...
for the Wellington Lions in 1994 and quickly became a fixture in the starting lineup alongside his brother who also played on the wing. Umaga scored more tries than any other player within the team for three successive years, and in 1996 was selected for the original Hurricanes
Hurricanes (Super rugby franchise)
The Hurricanes are a New Zealand professional Rugby union team based in Wellington that competes in the Super Rugby competition...
squad. In his second season playing for the Hurricanes he scored a New Zealand record of 12 tries (now broken by Rico Gear
Rico Gear
Rico Levi Gear is a New Zealand rugby union international player. He is a specialist right wing but can also cover midfield positions. He currently plays for Kintetsu Liners in the Top League....
) and earned a call up to the national team at the expense of an ill Jonah Lomu
Jonah Lomu
Jonah Tali Lomu, MNZM is a New Zealand rugby union player. He had sixty-three caps as an All Black after debuting in 1994. He is generally regarded as the first true global superstar of rugby union. He has had a huge impact on the game...
. He scored a try in his debut test match. With Jonah Lomu
Jonah Lomu
Jonah Tali Lomu, MNZM is a New Zealand rugby union player. He had sixty-three caps as an All Black after debuting in 1994. He is generally regarded as the first true global superstar of rugby union. He has had a huge impact on the game...
regaining his fitness, coupled with a drop in form, Umaga was dropped from the All Blacks until the 1999 season. To accommodate outside backs Umaga, Lomu
Jonah Lomu
Jonah Tali Lomu, MNZM is a New Zealand rugby union player. He had sixty-three caps as an All Black after debuting in 1994. He is generally regarded as the first true global superstar of rugby union. He has had a huge impact on the game...
, Wilson
Jeff Wilson (sportsman)
-Cricket career:Wilson played his provincial cricket for Otago, as an all-rounder - both a hard-hitting batsman and a right-arm fast-medium pace bowler. His international appearances were in four games of a One Day Internationals series against Australia in the 1992-93 season, and again in an ODI...
and Cullen
Christian Cullen
Christian Mathias Cullen is a former New Zealand rugby union footballer. He played most of his rugby at fullback for New Zealand , for the Hurricanes in the Super 12, and for Manawatu, Wellington and later Munster at first-class level. He was nicknamed the Paekakariki Express...
1996-99 All Black coach John Hart
John Hart (rugby coach)
John Bernard Hart, ONZM was a New Zealand rugby union coach, mainly for Auckland and the All Blacks. After many years in business, during which he rose to become Group Employee Relations Director for Fletcher Challenge, then New Zealand's largest company, John Hart began his first class coaching...
moved Fullback Christian Cullen into the midfield.
2000 and 2001
With a new coach in Wayne SmithWayne Smith (rugby player)
Wayne Ross Smith is a former rugby union footballer, and currently a rugby union coach. He is currently the backs coach for New Zealand's national rugby union team the All Blacks. He played provincial rugby for Canterbury and became an All Black in 1980. He played first five-eighth, gaining 35...
Tana Umaga became the regular wing in the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
lineup. Worries about the shape of the team were swept aside when the team smashed Tonga
Tonga national rugby union team
The Tonga national rugby union team is nicknamed Ikale Tahi . Like their Polynesian neighbours, the Tongans start their matches with a war dance – the Kailao . They are members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance along with Fiji and Samoa...
102-0, in a game where debutantes Troy Flavell
Troy Flavell
Troy Vandem Flavell is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays for Bayonne in the French Top 14. Flavell has won 22 caps for New Zealand, and mainly plays lock. He is known for his power in the scrum and his repeated foul play...
and Doug Howlett
Doug Howlett
Douglas Charles Howlett is a professional New Zealand rugby union player of Tongan descent. He is primarily a wing but he has also covered fullback at national and international levels. He currently plays in Ireland with Munster. He is the brother of former Tongan rugby league international Phil...
starred. He also played in the first Bledisloe Cup
Bledisloe Cup
Rugby Union's Bledisloe Cup is contested by the Australia national rugby union team and New Zealand national rugby union team. It is named after Lord Bledisloe, the former Governor-General of New Zealand who donated the trophy in 1931. The trophy was designed in New Zealand by Nelson Isaac, and...
match in 2000, dubbed "the game played in heaven", scoring an early try. He signed a new four year contract with the NZRU, and when Alama Ieremia
Alama Ieremia
Alama Ieremia is a New Zealand rugby union coach. He is a former Samoan international as well as a former All Black. He was born in Apia, Samoa....
took up a contract in Japan Tana Umaga decided to shift his focus to centre, despite scoring 9 tries in 7 tests on the wing that year. After having played just one match at centre for the Hurricanes
Hurricanes (Super rugby franchise)
The Hurricanes are a New Zealand professional Rugby union team based in Wellington that competes in the Super Rugby competition...
Tana slotted into the midfield for the All Blacks against France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
, the team that beat the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
in the semi-final of the World cup
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
the previous year. Umaga had a strong game in a victory. The 2000 season was one of Umaga's best, with him being awarded the Kelvin Tremain Memorial Trophy for New Zealand rugby player of the year. While the Smith era introduced a number of new players into the New Zealand
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
team, they could not reclaim the Tri Nations or Bledisloe Cup
Bledisloe Cup
Rugby Union's Bledisloe Cup is contested by the Australia national rugby union team and New Zealand national rugby union team. It is named after Lord Bledisloe, the former Governor-General of New Zealand who donated the trophy in 1931. The trophy was designed in New Zealand by Nelson Isaac, and...
in 2000 or 2001. This led to his sacking and the hiring of former All Black mid-week player and successful Chiefs
Chiefs (Super rugby franchise)
The Chiefs are a professional Rugby union team based in Hamilton, New Zealand. Their home ground is Waikato Stadium. The Chiefs play in black, red and yellow coloured jerseys...
coach John Mitchell
John Mitchell (rugby player)
John Eric Paul Mitchell, is a noted former rugby union player and former coach for the New Zealand All Blacks. Mitchell's rugby career blossomed with the club side Fraser-Tech after he moved from King Country in 1984 and was soon elected Waikato Colts captain...
.
2002 and 2003
Moving Umaga to the centers wasn't to everyone's liking claim this as a reason for his loss of pace. Despite this Umaga was named as captain of the [Wellington Lions and vice captain of the All Blacks under Anton OliverAnton Oliver
Anton David Oliver is a retired New Zealand rugby union footballer who most recently played professionally for the French second-division club Toulon, noted for signing veteran greats including former All Blacks captain Tana Umaga and great George Gregan...
in John Mitchell
John Mitchell (rugby player)
John Eric Paul Mitchell, is a noted former rugby union player and former coach for the New Zealand All Blacks. Mitchell's rugby career blossomed with the club side Fraser-Tech after he moved from King Country in 1984 and was soon elected Waikato Colts captain...
's first squad. Early on, John Mitchell and assistant coach Robbie Deans
Robbie Deans
Robert Maxwell Deans is the current coach of the Wallabies and former All Black. He is the former coach of the Crusaders. He also served as assistant to former All Blacks coach John Mitchell between late 2001 and 2003...
favoured Crusader Mark Robinson in the midfield. The squad to play against Italy
Italy national rugby union team
The Italy national rugby union team represent the nation of Italy in the sport of rugby union. The team is also known as the Azzurri . Italy have been playing international rugby since the late 1920s, and since 2000 compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland,...
and Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
as well as compete in the Tri Nations did not feature Umaga. Despite news reports about him carrying a knee injury, on the day when the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
were to take on Italy
Italy national rugby union team
The Italy national rugby union team represent the nation of Italy in the sport of rugby union. The team is also known as the Azzurri . Italy have been playing international rugby since the late 1920s, and since 2000 compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland,...
, Umaga played for his club Petone
Petone Rugby Club
The Petone Rugby Football Club was founded in 1885 and has been the Wellington Premier Champion 39 times between 1895 and 2005. In addition to this, the club has won the Club Championship on 42 occasions between 1922 and 2005...
.
Umaga, along with Taine Randell
Taine Randell
Taine Randell is a retired New Zealand rugby union player. He was a versatile loose forward and a former All Black captain.-Summary:...
the All Blacks 1999 world cup
1999 Rugby World Cup
The 1999 Rugby World Cup was the fourth Rugby World Cup, and the first to be held in rugby union's professional era. The principal host nation was Wales, although the majority of matches were played outside the country, shared between England, France, Scotland and Ireland...
captain, were asked to play for the New Zealand Barbarians
New Zealand Barbarians
The New Zealand Barbarians, nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", are an invitational rugby union team which have been a major part of New Zealand rugby since they were founded in 1937. They are based on the concept of Barbarian F.C...
against the New Zealand Māori
New Zealand Maori rugby union team
New Zealand Māori is a rugby union team that traditionally plays teams touring New Zealand. A prerequisite for playing in this team is that the player is to have Māori whakapapa or genealogy. In the past this rule was not strictly applied. In the past non-Māori players who looked Māori were often...
. Randell
Taine Randell
Taine Randell is a retired New Zealand rugby union player. He was a versatile loose forward and a former All Black captain.-Summary:...
himself was Māori and did not wish to play against them, and Umaga was placed on the wing a position stated he didn't want to play. After the game Tana o received a call-up to the national team to play Fiji
Fiji national rugby union team
The Fiji national rugby union team is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance formerly along with Samoa and Tonga. In 2009, Samoa announced their departure from the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance, leaving just Fiji and Tonga. Fiji are ranked sixteenth in the world by the IRB as of 26...
, but injured his knee mid game. Tana told the coaches he was fit for selection for the Bledisloe match
Bledisloe Cup
Rugby Union's Bledisloe Cup is contested by the Australia national rugby union team and New Zealand national rugby union team. It is named after Lord Bledisloe, the former Governor-General of New Zealand who donated the trophy in 1931. The trophy was designed in New Zealand by Nelson Isaac, and...
tie against Australia
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
but was again no selected, Daryl Gibson
Daryl Gibson
Daryl Peter Earl Gibson is a former New Zealand rugby union footballer who played inside centre for Canterbury Crusaders in the southern hemisphere and Bristol Shoguns, Leicester Tigers and Glasgow Warriors in the northern hemisphere...
taking the spot on the bench. Umaga again turned out for Petone
Petone Rugby Club
The Petone Rugby Football Club was founded in 1885 and has been the Wellington Premier Champion 39 times between 1895 and 2005. In addition to this, the club has won the Club Championship on 42 occasions between 1922 and 2005...
.
Umaga came off the bench against South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
at his home ground Westpac Stadium
Westpac Stadium
Westpac Stadium, is a major sporting venue in Wellington, New Zealand. Due to its shape and silver coloured external walls, it is colloquially known as The Cake-Tin to the locals and other New Zealanders...
. Tana would go on to make the Tri-Nations XV; a team based on Zurich world player rankings. Many considered him a good chance to take over the captaincy on the end of year tour from injured regular captain Reuben Thorne
Reuben Thorne
Reuben David Thorne is a New Zealand rugby union player, and former captain of the national team, the All Blacks.-Super 12:...
, but that role was instead handed to Taine Randell
Taine Randell
Taine Randell is a retired New Zealand rugby union player. He was a versatile loose forward and a former All Black captain.-Summary:...
. Umaga was to lead the Hurricanes in 2003, taking over from Gordon Slater
Gordon Slater
Gordon Leonard Slater is a former rugby player from New Zealand. He made his debut for the All Blacks in 1997. After having played in 144 matches for Taranaki and with nearly 220 first class games, he bowed out of top rugby at the end of the 2002 season. He was born in New Plymouth.-External links:*...
, under coach Colin Cooper. The Hurricanes made the semi-finals for just the second time in their history after winning a team record seven times in a row, shedding the inconsistent tag that had plagued them since the competition's inception. His form was recognised and he was rewarded with a spot in the All Blacks, named as vice-captain under Reuben Thorne
Reuben Thorne
Reuben David Thorne is a New Zealand rugby union player, and former captain of the national team, the All Blacks.-Super 12:...
who would lead the team to the World Cup
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World...
.
In a test match against Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
on 21 June 2003, Welsh captain Colin Charvis
Colin Charvis
Colin Charvis is a former captain of the Welsh national rugby union team and also played for the British and Irish lions. A back row forward, Charvis was equally adept as a flanker or as the no...
was knocked out in a tackle from All Blacks forward Jerry Collins
Jerry Collins
Jerry Collins is a New Zealand rugby union footballer who formerly played for the national team, the All Blacks in which he was capped 48 times. He now plays for Yamaha Jubilo, in Japanese Top league rugby.-Early career:...
. Umaga stopped playing despite his team being in an attacking position; to check that Charvis had not swallowed his mouthguard. He placed him in the recovery position and for this act, the Council of the International Fair Play Committee
International Fair Play Committee
The International Fair Play Committee , abbreviated as the CIFP, is a not for profit international non-governmental organisation which serves to foster sportsmanship in international competition. It presents awards annually at the World Fair Play Awards to recognise acts of fair play carried out by...
awarded Umaga the Pierre de Coubertin Medal
Pierre de Coubertin medal
The Pierre de Coubertin medal is a special medal given by the International Olympic Committee to those athletes who demonstrate the spirit of sportsmanship in Olympic events.The medal was inaugurated in 1964 and named in honour of Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the International Olympic...
, a prestigious award for outstanding sportsmanship. Umaga was the first New Zealander to receive the award. The Welsh Rugby Union
Welsh Rugby Union
The Welsh Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Wales, recognised by the International Rugby Board.The union's patron is Queen Elizabeth II, and her grandson Prince William of Wales became the Vice Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union as of February 2007.-History:The roots of the...
also presented him with a figurine to honour the display of sportsmanship.
The All Blacks defeated the Springboks
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
52-16 and the Wallabies
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
50-21 away from home in consecutive weeks. New Zealand won both home matches as well, claiming the Tri Nations title and the Bledisloe Cup. This was the first time the All Blacks had won the Bledisloe since 1997. The performance had them regarded as early favourites to win the years World Cup
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World...
, along with the eventual winners England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
.
The opening match of the tournament was to be the All Black last Rugby World Cup
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
appearance. In an attempted back line move, Umaga collided with star Five-Eighth Carlos Spencer
Carlos Spencer
Carlos James Spencer is a New Zealand rugby union footballer who currently plays at fly-half for the Lions in the Super 14 and formerly for the New Zealand All Blacks. He is well known for his flamboyant, attacking play and ball handling skills. He has signed to play for the Lions for 2010 and 2011...
. Spencer came out unhurt but unfortunately Umaga suffered a damaged posterior cruciate ligament
Posterior cruciate ligament
The posterior cruciate ligament is one of the four major ligaments of the knee. It connects the posterior intercondylar area of the tibia to the medial condyle of the femur...
in his left knee and was forced to leave the field. Tana would not be play again in the tournament despite being declared fit to play in the semi-final by then All Blacks doctor John Mayhew. Leon MacDonald
Leon MacDonald
Leon Raymond MacDonald is a retired New Zealand rugby union footballer, and now assistant coach for the Tasman Makos rugby team, who played 56 tests for the national team, All Blacks. He plays first five-eighths and fullback.-Biography:MacDonald was born in Blenheim, New Zealand, and attended...
the regular backup Fullback, was preferred in the centre spot. The All Blacks would lose the game to Australia 22-10 and again fail to reach the final.
The aftermath of the world cup was similar to the last, as coach John Mitchell
John Mitchell (rugby player)
John Eric Paul Mitchell, is a noted former rugby union player and former coach for the New Zealand All Blacks. Mitchell's rugby career blossomed with the club side Fraser-Tech after he moved from King Country in 1984 and was soon elected Waikato Colts captain...
was dropped. Only two coaches applied for the position of All Blacks head coach, Mitchell who re-applied and Graham Henry
Graham Henry
Graham Henry is a New Zealand Rugby Union coach, and former head coach of the country's national team, the All Blacks. He played rugby union for Canterbury and cricket for Otago in the Plunket Shield. Henry was heavily criticized following the All Blacks quarterfinal exit at the 2007 Rugby World...
. Graham Henry was the former coach of the Blues and was told he would never receive the top job after leaving New Zealand shores to take up a contract with the Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
national team. Henry's experience in New Zealand and overseas, as well as the skill shown in turning around the Welsh team worked in his favour and he secured the job.
All Black captain: 2004 and 2005
Graham Henry's first choice as captain of his team was Tana Umaga, and after a disappointing Super 12, in which the HurricanesHurricanes (Super rugby franchise)
The Hurricanes are a New Zealand professional Rugby union team based in Wellington that competes in the Super Rugby competition...
came 11th, was selected to replace Reuben Thorne
Reuben Thorne
Reuben David Thorne is a New Zealand rugby union player, and former captain of the national team, the All Blacks.-Super 12:...
. He was the first New Zealander of Pacific Island heritage to captain the All Blacks in a test match. Umaga's captaincy began well, with victory in the first six tests, including two victories against World Cup holders England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
. One of them, a 36-3 win in Dunedin
Carisbrook
Carisbrook was a major sporting venue in Dunedin, New Zealand. The city's main domestic and international rugby union venue, it has also been used for other sports such as cricket, football, rugby league and motocross. Carisbrook has also hosted a Joe Cocker concert and frequently hosted pre-game...
, was at the time the heaviest loss ever by a World Cup holding team. The All Blacks of 2004 successfully managed to regain the Bledisloe Cup
Bledisloe Cup
Rugby Union's Bledisloe Cup is contested by the Australia national rugby union team and New Zealand national rugby union team. It is named after Lord Bledisloe, the former Governor-General of New Zealand who donated the trophy in 1931. The trophy was designed in New Zealand by Nelson Isaac, and...
. The winning run came to an end, when the All Blacks lost in both away games against Australia and South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
, putting the All Blacks out of contention for the 2004 Tri Nations Series.
In the 2004 end-of-year tour he oversaw the introduction of Dan Carter in the position of First-Five Eighth and a large 45-6 victory over the French
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
. Umaga also celebrated his 100th match for the Hurricanes, when his team overcame the Blues
Blues (rugby team)
Blues are a professional New Zealand rugby union team based in Auckland, New Zealand which represents the Northland, North Harbour and Auckland unions in the Super Rugby competition. Like New Zealand's four other Super Rugby sides, the Blues were established by the NZRU in 1996...
. They made the semi-final for the second time in three years, but again stumbled to a loss to the champion Crusaders. In 2005 the British & Irish Lions toured
2005 British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand
In 2005 the British and Irish Lions rugby union team toured New Zealand for the first time since 1993, playing 7 tour matches against first and second division clubs from the National Provincial Championship series, 1 tour match against the national New Zealand all Māori club, and 3 official test...
, on top of the Tri Nations and the potentail Grand Slam
Grand Slam (Rugby Union)
In rugby union, a Grand Slam occurs when one team in the Six Nations Championship manages to beat all the others during one year's competition...
tour of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
Umaga was involved in an incident in the first Test of the Lions tour to New Zealand
2005 British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand
In 2005 the British and Irish Lions rugby union team toured New Zealand for the first time since 1993, playing 7 tour matches against first and second division clubs from the National Provincial Championship series, 1 tour match against the national New Zealand all Māori club, and 3 official test...
on 25 June 2005 that caused friction between the Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
and All Blacks. Early in the Test, Umaga and hooker Keven Mealamu
Keven Mealamu
Keven Mealamu is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. He plays at hooker for the Blues in the Super 14, Auckland in the National Provincial Championship, and the New Zealand national team, All Blacks....
upended Lions captain Brian O'Driscoll
Brian O'Driscoll
Brian O'Driscoll is an Irish professional rugby union player. He is the current captain of the Ireland Rugby team and captained Leinster Rugby until the start of 2008 season. He also captained the British and Irish Lions for their 2005 tour of New Zealand...
in a post-ruck clean-out. O'Driscoll required surgery on a dislocated shoulder and missed the rest of the tour. The British and Irish media accused Umaga of foul play. O'Driscoll and Lions management characterized the incident as a "deliberate spear tackle
Spear tackle
A spear tackle is a dangerous tackle in rugby union, rugby league and Australian rules football whereby a player lifts another player into the air and dumps or drops them upside down...
". The independent citing commissioner found that neither Umaga nor Mealamu had a case to answer at the time due to inconclusive evidence, but after viewing new amateur footage of the incident, Greg Thomas, communications manager for the sport's governing body, the International Rugby Board
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
(IRB), described the tackle as "unacceptably dangerous" and stated that IRB was instructing referees to suspend players for three to six months for such offenses. Daily Telegraph London journalist Brendan Gallagher labelled it as one of the fifty 'ugliest moments' in sports.
New Zealand was undefeated during the Lions tour and won the Tri-Nations, which included the retention of the Bledisloe Cup. The IRB shortlisted Umaga for their 2005 International Player of the Year award (an honour eventually won by fellow All Black Dan Carter
Daniel Carter (rugby player)
Daniel William "Dan" Carter is a New Zealand rugby union player.He is currently the highest points scorer in test match rugby and is regarded as one of rugby's greatest ever fly-halves.-Early life:...
). Umaga also led the All Blacks to their second Northern Hemisphere Grand Slam. After playing 74 test matches for his country Tana Umaga confirmed his retirement from international rugby at a press conference on January 10, 2006. His main reason for retiring was to spend more time with his family as he had just had another child with his wife Rochelle. Tana Umaga's announcement led to Richie McCaw
Richie McCaw
Richard Hugh "Richie" McCaw is a New Zealand rugby union player, and is the current test captain. He plays in the openside flanker position for the New Zealand, Crusaders and Canterbury rugby teams...
succeeding him as captain.
2006 and 2007
For the 2006 Super 14 season2006 Super 14 season
The 2006 Super 14 season started on Friday 10 February 2006. The Grand Final was held on Saturday 27 May 2006. Super 14 is a provincial rugby union competition with 14 teams from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. This season was the first of the expansion, which saw two new teams, the...
Umaga handed the Hurricanes
Hurricanes (Super rugby franchise)
The Hurricanes are a New Zealand professional Rugby union team based in Wellington that competes in the Super Rugby competition...
captaincy to All Black number eight Rodney So'oialo
Rodney So'oialo
Rodney So'oialo is a New Zealand rugby union player currently playing in Japan for the Honda Heat. Previously, he had been a stalwart for the Hurricanes in the Super Rugby competition, making 101 appearances for the franchise. He also made 62 test appearances for the All Blacks between 2002 and 2009...
in order to focus on his own game. The Hurricanes reached the semi-finals for the third time in four years. Out drinking after the 2006 Super 14 Final
2006 Super 14 Final
The Final of the 2006 Super 14 season, a rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere, took place on May 27, 2006 at Jade Stadium in Christchurch, New Zealand. The match was won by the Crusaders 19 points to 12 over the visiting Wellington-based side, the Hurricanes...
- in which the Hurricanes lost to the Crusaders - Umaga was seen in a bar hitting team mate Chris Masoe
Chris Masoe
Chris Masoe is a New Zealand rugby union footballer and currently plays for Castres Olympique.-Super 14:...
with a woman's handbag, breaking her cell phone, after Masoe allegedly attempted to strike another patron. Umaga replaced the woman's damaged cell phone, and the woman went on to sell her handbag and broken cell phone for NZD
New Zealand dollar
The New Zealand dollar is the currency of New Zealand. It also circulates in the Cook Islands , Niue, Tokelau, and the Pitcairn Islands. It is divided into 100 cents....
23,000 on the New Zealand internet auction site Trade Me. In the 2006 Queen's Birthday Honours Umaga was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit
New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
in recognition of his dedicated service to rugby.
In the months to come he was reported to be on the wish lists of many top European clubs; his former All Black's teammate Andrew Mehrtens
Andrew Mehrtens
Andrew Philip Mehrtens MNZM is a New Zealand rugby union footballer, currently playing in France for Béziers, a club in the third-level Fédérale 1 league...
was forced to publicly deny rumours that Umaga was a target of his club at the time - Harlequins
Harlequin F.C.
The Harlequin Football Club is an English rugby union team who play in the top level of English rugby, the Aviva Premiership. Their ground in London is Twickenham Stoop...
. Umaga eventually signed for French club Toulon
RC Toulonnais
RC Toulonnais is a French professional rugby union club based in Toulon in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
that had been recently relegated from the Top 14 to Pro D2
Rugby Pro D2
Rugby Pro D2, also known as Pro D2 is the second level of domestic club rugby union in France, below the first division, Top 14. The competition was introduced in 2000. There is relegation and promotion between both the Top 14 and Fédérale 1, the third-level competition...
. His contract allowed him to play the entire 2006 Air New Zealand Cup
2006 Air New Zealand Cup
The 2006 Air New Zealand Cup is a provincial rugby union competition involving 14 teams from New Zealand. Matches started on Friday 28 July 2006, and the Grand Final was won by Waikato on 21 October 2006....
(ANZ Cup) season for Wellington before travelling to France. He ended up playing only seven matches for Toulon as Wellington made the ANZ Cup final. He nonetheless made roughly €350,000 (USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
438,000/GBP
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
250,000) that Toulon's co-presidents reportedly paid out of their own pockets. The day before playing his first match for Toulon he was awarded the medal of honour of the city of Toulon (médaille d'or de la ville) by Mayor Hubert Falco. On 29 October 2006, Umaga started in his first game three days after arriving in Toulon scoring his team's only try in a 22-16 victory against Lyon
Lyon OU
Lyon Olympique Universitaire or LOU is a French rugby union team that competes in the Top 14, the first level of the country's professional league system. They earned their spot in the Top 14 by winning the 2010–11 title of the second-tier Pro D2....
. He was surprised to see how close to the players the fans were and how noisy the atmosphere was.
Umaga returned to New Zealand at the end of his contract with Toulon following their 7 January 2007 win over Grenoble
FC Grenoble
Football Club de Grenoble Alpes Rugby is a French rugby union club which, until recently, competed in the top level of the French league system. They play at Stade Lesdiguières . They wear red and blue.-History:...
. When Umaga arrived in Toulon they were ninth in the Pro D2 table; when he left they had risen to third. Toulon won eight of nine matches with Umaga on the roster - the only loss coming when he was out injured. Umaga played his last season for the Hurricanes in 2007. His last match for them was on 5 May 2007 at Wellington's Westpac Stadium. On 25 September 2007, Umaga released a book detailing his career.
Coaching
During the 2008/09 Top 14 season, Umaga's coaching future was uncertain because ToulonRC Toulonnais
RC Toulonnais is a French professional rugby union club based in Toulon in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
were struggling at midseason and were in danger of relegation. This led to speculation in January 2009 that he would be replaced as manager by Philippe Saint-André
Philippe Saint-André
Philippe Georges Saint-André is a former French rugby union footballer who earned 69 test caps for France between 1990 and 1997, 34 of them as captain. His preferred position was wing but he could also play at Fullback. After retiring, Saint-André found success as a rugby coach in both England and...
. This was confirmed on 27 January 2009, with Umaga taking on the role as player/manager at the age of 35, and at the same time announcing he would not return as head coach for the following season. A late-season return to form eventually brought Toulon to mid-table safety in ninth place. Saint-André took on the managing role effective at the beginning of the 2009/10 season
2009–10 Top 14 season
Stade de France was listed as an alternate home for Stade Français because the club hosted five of their 13 home matches this season at the national stadium. Similarly, Stadium Municipal was listed as an alternate home for Toulouse, who normally play two Top 14 matches a year at that facility...
, but kept Umaga on as Toulon's backs coach. On Friday, March 12, 2010, Counties Manaukau announced that Umaga had signed for the province as a player coach for the Air New Zealand Cup
Air New Zealand Cup
The ITM Cup is New Zealand's annual professional domestic Rugby union competition, taking place from late July through October . It was founded in 2006 with 14 teams, after the National Provincial Championship was split into two separate competitions. The other 12 provincial teams from the NPC...
. Counties competed well, with two hard-fought Ranfurly Shield
Ranfurly Shield
The Ranfurly Shield, colloquially known as the Log o' Wood, is a trophy in New Zealand's domestic rugby union competition. First played for in 1904, the Ranfurly Shield is based on a challenge system, rather than a league or knockout competition as with most football trophies...
challenges and a peak of second on the points table. Counties ended the season in ninth. On Thursday, October 28, 2010, Umaga signed with the Chiefs super rugby franchise for 2011.