News | Tana Umaga

Recruitment begins with Umaga in charge
Photo courtesy of Richard Spranger

With the appointment of Tana Umaga as Head Coach in late December, Counties Manukau Rugby Football Union has confirmed a number of player signings as they continue work on their recruitment process.

New Zealand Sevens captain and Steelers’ Defence player of the year, DJ Forbes has re-signed with the Steelers and is looking forward to his season ahead. “I really enjoyed the Steelers environment and working with the management team and the young talent that we have at Counties Manukau which is why I chose to stay there” said Forbes.

Other signings include Chiefs wider training group members Ronald Raymakers, August Pulu and former Chiefs halfback David Bason. In the front row, mobile and international prop Simon Lemalu, along with young prop Peter Hale have re-committed to the South Auckland Union as have talented winger Ashee Tuala.

Blues player Sherwin Stowers and Steelers team mates, Jamie Chipman, Baden Kerr and Ray Lee-lo remain on existing contracts with CMRFU.

Tana Umaga said “It is important to retain our core group, which we are currently working on but if this year’s Counties Power Club rugby season is anything like last years one, we will see plenty of talent coming through our clubs.

There are opportunities for players to earn a place in the Steelers by performing well for their clubs so I am looking forward to seeing that on displayed through out our club rugby season”.

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Team of New Zealand’s top athletes hits Whakatane

Whakatane is the home to one of New Zealand’s most famous one-day touch rugby tournaments that attracts international entries and features many of New Zealand’s top athletes.

Tana Umaga and his sports star friends have been attending the tournament for fourteen years as the Baa Baaz team. Umaga and fellow former All Black Carolos Spencer founded the team to have an excuse to have an annual catch up with mates who were spread all over the country and across the ditch.

Without a doubt their team is one of the most esteemed group of players and considered the touch version of the British Barbarians rugby team. This years side featured Piri Weepu, Christian Cullen, Junior Tonu’u, Frano Botica and league legend Benji Marshall.

With a mixture of age, codes and talent the focus is on camaraderie, even though they are highly competitive. The team likes to keep its old faces in the team but always bring some young blood to run around.

This year the side lost 5-4 in the plate final to Freezin Hot but that didn’t stop the fun for the sporting royalty. The open grade was won by All Black Liam Messam and his fellow Chiefs team mate Tim Nanai Williams’ team ‘Lock’.

Umaga said “It is a great tournament that has really grown dramatically since we started. We were just a group of friends getting together and before you know it we have been here fourteen years and the tournament has grown to 72 teams.”

Winston Sua, the founder of the Baa Baaz team and whose idea it was to put a team in the Whakatane tournament all those years ago has taken the responsibility to organize sponsorship for star studded team. This year that included obtaining $15,000 of merchandise and product that was given out to the public at the event by Umaga and his team.

Tana said “It is great to see the look on the kid’s faces when the they get something from the likes of Benji and Piri. It is not something that happens everyday in Whakatane for these kids.”

The plans are already in place for next years’ event where Baa Baaz will celebrate their 15^th anniversary at the tournament. Click here to view more phot:

Tana Umaga Head Coach of the Counties Manukau Steelers
Photo courtesy of Richard Spranger

Tana Umaga has today been confirmed as the new Counties Manukau Rugby Football Union Head coach.

Counties Manukau CEO Andrew Maddock said “We are delighted with the appointment of Tana. He will continue the good work that has already been done within the Union.

His experience, wealth of knowledge and coaching skills are greatly valued and we are looking forward to our players continuing to benefit from him.

Tana Umaga said “This is a region full of talent and I am looking forward to capturing that talent, enhancing and retaining it, while building on the good work with the players that we have already done”.

Milton Haig has taken up a role with the international world cup side Georgia.

Umaga went on to say ” I am really excited about the next phase in my coaching career as Head Coach of the Counties Manukau Steelers.

My family and I really enjoy living here and I have become very attached to the area and to the players.

There is a great talent pool here and the region is renowned for growing players which we will continue to do and focus on retaining the players within the Counties Manukau region.

In the last few years I have enjoyed my role with the side and am keen to continue and build on the good work that has been done.

Counties Manukau’s riches are in its people, players, supporters, sponsors and fans. It is great to be a member of a team of people who are focused on fielding a successful team.

Our players enjoy the environment and this is one of the reasons we are also experiencing interest in players from other Unions which is a nice change.

We are trying to concentrate on developing players as a whole, in addition to the rugby aspect which I think is vital for players in the modern game”.

Well done New Zealand
Photo courtesy of Richard Spranger

I thoroughly enjoyed the 2011 Rugby World Cup and was extremely impressed by the way the people of New Zealand embraced the spectacular event.

When we pitched for New Zealand to host the event in Dublin in 2005, one of the things Jock Hobbs and the NZRU had developed was the stadium of 4 million people. When we were making our presentation I truly believed it was going to happen and had faith in the support we would get from the New Zealand public.

While waiting the six years for the event to arrive I was eager to see how the country would turn it on but once it arrived it was easy to see we would truly deliver and surpass all expectations.

The Kiwi hospitality was amazing. I heard plenty of good stories of locals rallying around to help tourists out when they needed it and going the extra mile to make them and the visiting teams welcome. Many former international players commented to me that they thought it was the best Rugby World Cup they had been to.

An important factor of the tournament’s success was that the rugby was good and the standard of the second tier nations really appealed to the public. We could see the importance of good coaching which lifted the performance level of many of these teams, resulting from an increased standard in the level of coaching within their own countries. Spreading the wealth of knowledge around the world is good for the game.

It was great that we won but I think we had already won on a global scale before the final had kicked off. Well done New Zealand.

Short, sharp dose of shock and awe needed
Article by Tana Umaga that appeared in the New Zealand Herald on Saturday 22 October
Photo courtesy of New Zealand Herald

A repeat of the start against the Wallabies will help the All Blacks enormously in their quest for the Rugby World Cup crown.

If they can blow the French away in that opening, that will put doubt in their opponents’ minds and if they do that, the French might just say “we’re happy we got this far”.

I don’t think they will, but you can never be quite sure, so the All Blacks should work on getting into them early. That opening quarter will be a pivotal time in this match.

France have had three successive tough games against Tonga, England and Wales where they needed to make an enormous number of tackles and their bodies will be feeling it. There’s no question they’ll be ready for this game but their frames will feel an awful lot more fatigued if they’ve leaked some points in that period.

A fast, intense start is paramount for the All Blacks – they’ll love nothing better than starting as they did against the Wallabies. That was the best they’ve played for some time. They nullified David Pocock and took the Wallabies out of the game.

I’m sure the boys are relaxed and ready and will have a sharp little hit-out today to finalise their work.

They won’t want to let this chance go now. It will have been playing on their minds for some time and, as Brad Thorn said, they haven’t achieved anything yet, they’ve only got to the final.

Tomorrow is no different. The benchmark will be set up front where Owen Franks, Kevie Mealamu and Tony Woodcock have been immense. That trio has been enormous in their technical set-piece work and the rest of their approach around the field.

Thorn and Sam Whitelock complete the outstanding tight five group while the back row have been sensational.

The whole team has played well and shown those who think the All Blacks are just a two-man team are well off the mark.

They’ve all been on fire and if they stick to the plan and keep going hard, they will find the treasure at the end of 80 minutes.

From what I’ve heard, the French players and coach are not on the same page. Lots of my French friends who are over here have been talking about the disharmony and I must salute Thierry Dusautoir and some of the senior players who’ve been able to put their campaign back on track.

That has got them to the final, even if we think they haven’t been the most deserving. They’ve done what they needed to get to the next stage and now they’re looking for their first World Cup title.

They will only grow in confidence from their last game against Wales. They should have lost that easily, even with their man advantage. Wales had numerous chances, but it’s one thing having them and another taking them.

France got a few chances, banged over their penalties and made it to the final.

The greatest danger from the French comes in their pack. They base their game on their forwards and their backs haven’t yet played as a cohesive unit.

If they get a couple of penalties from their forward drives or even get an intercept try, that’s how they’re going to win.

All they need is something like Stirling Mortlock’s intercept try against the All Blacks in 2003 and that will give them a massive boost.

France will be in there niggling, waiting for opportunities, looking to take a risk and we will see them up flat on defence looking to make something out of little. It’s something the All Blacks have to be aware of.

They are under pressure from home, but in the camp they will feel like they’ve exceeded expectations. No one thought they’d get to the semifinals and now they’re in the shootout for the 2011 title.

This is it All Blacks – get mindset right and do the job
Article by Tana Umaga that appeared in the New Zealand Herald on Saturday 15 October
Photo courtesy of New Zealand Herald

When the All Blacks go looking for blueprints and ways to knock over the Wallabies tomorrow, they should be looking at how the Irish hoed into them.

Teams who have been really physical against the Wallabies have gained some advantage; the Irish pummelled them in their pool game.

I thought the Springboks would have done the job up front against the Wallabies in their very physical quarter-final and while the Boks had an enormous possession advantage, Australia matched them physically where they needed to.

They were sensational at the breakdown and David Pocock was right at the heart of that and, defensively, they missed a few tackles but managed to cover up well. Some of the hits were pretty good.

The All Blacks have the physical artillery to take this semifinal. Throughout the tournament I have been impressed with Jerome Kaino and now Kieran Read is starting to come back into form and with the front row getting their scrummaging, ball-carrying and cleanouts in order, that is great cause for optimism.

Brad Thorn and Sam Whitelock bring stacks of courage and energy into their work and they attack the game hard all the time.

They will all need that mindset going into this test to get on top physically and dominate.

It is tough getting “up” for lots of games but once the All Blacks qualified for the playoffs they had to reset themselves for the finals. It is very intense.

It is more difficult to recover but it is about their mindset going into games. This is a semifinal and for most of these guys, they have not been at this stage before. They will be up for it because this is it, we are at home and they have plenty of support.

There will not be any magical messages and team talks from Richie McCaw and Graham Henry tomorrow. The key will be what’s been done during the week. If it’s been a light training week they will have been talking more, reiterating what they need to do. Just before they run out there will be some “this is it” words and demands about actions meeting those words.

It will not be so much about what is said but all the squad should be in the right mood to do the job.

During the week Henry would have got alongside the senior players, just to check off their lists and make sure they were content with what had been done. Those guys would then go away to co-ordinate their mini-groups.

Tomorrow is too late. Henry knows all the work has to be done by then.

The worst thing is coaches who think they have not done enough and try to cram things or think the players have not done enough. You pick that desperation up as a player and feel there is a lack of trust and that is not a good place to be.

It is the tricky dynamic in preparation. Coaches cannot overload players even though they would like to be at them all the time and each player has individual ways of preparing for tests.

Some want time and space, others like interacting, some like me, used to favour some sleep in the afternoon.

You have to let them go in their own direction. Some guys like Andrew Mehrtens, Justin Marshall and Jerry Collins were very relaxed and you wondered if they were playing a game that day.

It is a long wait until the 9pm kickoff, but they’ll start to get more in focus when they have a meal about four hours before kickoff and the routines begin to kick in.

Slade out from Dan Carter’s shadow at Rugby World Cup
Article by Tana Umaga that appeared in the New Zealand Herald on Saturday 8 October
Photo courtesy of New Zealand Herald

The All Blacks are travelling well. Daniel Carter is a big loss for the campaign, but that’s what it is.

Now Colin Slade gets his chance and I’m sure he will go well. It is his team to run and if he calms down and plays his game, then the dramas should be minimal.

It is a difficult thing to be in the shadow of Carter and always being measured up against what we think are quality teams and against the best player in the world, and sometimes that is a bit out of skew.

Slade has the chance to show his skills in this quarter-final. I believe he will do well. If he settles, feels happy and just worries about his areas and understands what his role is, the rest will fall into place.

Slade has plenty of strengths to his game and he will get support from those guys around him who are very experienced.

He does not have to overplay his hand, that is what he has to understand. It is not about trying to be the best player at this level, it is about doing what he has been picked for at first five-eighths.

Sometimes I think he is doing things which he has been told to do which are not natural to him, rather than trusting his own ideas. We need him to play his natural game, do the basics and get on with it.

He is inexperienced but that is not his fault. That is the way it is, but he has a lot to offer. If it doesn’t go as well as we want I guess the excuses are laid out there.

My second and third tests were against Argentina way back in 1997 when we cleaned them up.

But four years later we were extremely fortunate to escape with a win at the River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires when Scott Robertson scored a late try.

Generally, the Pumas have not been a great threat to the All Blacks. They have a penchant for scrums and lineout mauls and those areas of the game are where they give us the most trouble.

When I was at Toulon, we came up against a great number of Argentine players in Europe and they still have most of their men playing in competitions there. They have a lot of ability and are improving all the time, and will continue to do so in the Four Nations next year.

They have been sending a development side to train at Stellenbosch and play in the Vodacom Cup in South Africa and that sort of thing will continue to boost their rugby. Most of it has to be done offshore though because, strange as it seems in these times, the game is still largely amateur in Argentina.

It is a shame Juan Fernandez Lobbe is injured for the quarter-final tomorrow. He is a big loss, he controls play, he is a great tactician and leader and his absence takes a fair bit away from their side.

Felipe Contepomi is a seasoned player, not too many frills but not too many mistakes either and he is a very useful attacker. He is a handy goalkicker, loves the big stage and that is where he is at his best. He has lots of experience and is very intelligent.

It’s great to see my mate Mils Muliaina make it to his 100th cap. When he first started he was very quiet and to see him flourish and become a leader has been great.

The coaches fostered and encouraged him and now we have a player and person who has the utmost respect of his peers. He is dependable, a great team man, a player with a very low error rate and all those things make him valuable.

How the All Blacks Henry came to understand his Rugby World Cup Team
Article by Tana Umaga that appeared in the New Zealand Herald on Saturday 1 October
Photo courtesy of New Zealand Herald

My first encounters with Graham Henry left me a little uncertain.

He was autocratic, sure of his ability, he knew what he wanted and how he was going to get there.

But he has changed, he has made big shifts in the way he leads the All Blacks, in how he works and what he delivers to the team.

Henry has a reservoir of knowledge but is always looking to build on that, he is relentless in his pursuit of the next level and he has a compassionate side the players enjoy.

Stacking up 100 tests coaching the All Blacks tomorrow is a massive achievement and along the way he has received great support from wife Raewyn, other members of his family and the wider All Blacks group.

I look at the way coaches are valued in the States, where there are a number in baseball, basketball and football, who are employed beyond Henry’s age. They are mature, they have encountered most of the obstacles sides can run into, they have dealt with a range of issues and come out the other side. They are durable, mentally tough, battle-hardened and sharp.

Henry fits that mould. He is comfortable in his own skin, he understands all the nuances of the sport and is a players’ coach.

I first met him in 1998 when I had been dropped to the New Zealand A side and he and Frank Oliver were our coaches.

We had a game in Hamilton and several in Samoa, where I remember he enjoyed fishing on his day off.

Then he quit New Zealand and did not reappear until 2003 when he was picked as All Blacks coach.

I wondered how I would get on, especially after my injury and struggles at that year’s World Cup and I was apprehensive when my wife took an early morning call from Henry.

He asked me to captain the All Blacks. I was humbled to be asked, thankful and very proud that he bestowed a great accolade on me.

That first year was tough. Henry, Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith all came back from Britain where they were used to working with the players a lot more.

Back in New Zealand they got us after the Super 14 and, naturally, wanted to go full throttle and make a strong impression. On the other hand, the players needed a break, they felt overloaded. We got that sorted and I have the utmost respect for the coaches because they listened.

They developed from there with the leadership groups they instituted. They worked with the players to make sure we gave them feedback and they kept us honest and on task.

Life in the All Blacks became much more of a two-way street as Henry and his style evolved.

Then it came to 2005 when I told Ted I was not going to carry on. I had given it a lot of thought, I had spoken to my family. It was done, I was 100 per cent sure.

My plan was to retire after the Lions series but Ted managed to change my mind. He persuaded me to get through the Tri-Nations and end-of-year tour to Europe.

He tried to talk me round, to think about getting to the 2007 World Cup. He offered me ideas about managing my workload but I felt that was making too many concessions.

I had too much respect for the All Blacks jersey, I wanted time at home and Ted accepted those reasons as well.

He has gone on for another six years, showing great skill and endurance.

Being All Blacks coach is probably the second hardest job in the country behind Prime Minister. He has to put up with incessant inspection and know how and when to switch off.

I’m in contact with him from time to time because I want to learn as much as I can and he has been a huge influence on how I coach teams. The All Blacks have been lucky to have him.

Watch out, French can be hard to hold
Article by Tana Umaga that appeared in the New Zealand Herald on Saturday 24 September
Photo courtesy of New Zealand Herald

If things begin to go a little awry for France tonight, look out.

That is the time to be extra wary of them, because they get into a zone where they will start shifting the ball around and experimenting with some exotic ideas.

Then they can be hard to hold – as I found a few times down the years.

France know they will be in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals, no matter the result at Eden Park tonight. So there’s no way they will start with any defeatist attitude.

They have picked a strong team. I was fascinated they chose it so early in the week so they must have a plan.

Of course the big discussion point has been the selection of Morgan Parra at first five-eighths.

He has never started a test in that role, but he is a sharp footballer and a brilliant halfback who I’m sure can adjust. It’s whether he’s had enough time to get used to the different defensive alignments in that role.

But he is some player, and so is halfback Dimitri Yachvili, and maybe they will keep each on one side of the field or swap roles as first receiver.

Who knows? What we do know is coach Marc Lievremont is looking for something outside the box. It could be a masterstroke.

Francois Trinh-Duc has not been doing anything special at first five-eighths, but maybe the coach is looking to protect him for later in the tournament or to give him a hurry-up about finding that form.

Some have suggested France are throwing the game, but that is well wide of the mark. They also know the result tonight is not the be-all and end-all of their tournament.

If they start playing as individuals, that’s the time I get a bit twitchy because it will be unfamiliar to the All Blacks. That sort of ad-lib style hurts sides and if they mould that to strong work from their pack, look out.

The French have great pride in their set piece and have a saying, no scrum no win, so I expect them to be solid in those phases.

At Toulon we had a player who was with Lievremont at the Dax club and he said Lievremont was very much a players’ coach, someone who liked the team ethic and worked hard towards that.

He has a reputation as a strong technical coach who surrounds himself with good people. But he does make some far-out selections and puts questions in people’s minds.

Lievremont is out of a job after this tournament so I suppose he will do things his way, walk off into the sunset and pick up eight months’ pay until the end of his deal.

I was part of an All Black team clobbered a few times by France, as Olivier Magne reminded me recently.

There was of course that remarkable comeback in 1999 at the World Cup, then a similar fury the next year at Marseilles. That was scary. The atmosphere there, the singing, the noise, everything was just full-on. So were the French. They can play like an unstoppable force.

I feel for Mils Muliaina not making tonight’s team because I am a mate and a fan, but Israel Dagg in his very limited time has been sharp every game. His performance coming back from injury straight into top form shows he can compete.

Mils missed a chance with his hamstring strain last week but he will keep pushing hard. Richard Kahui on the wing is a great story and Cory Jane too, after he had the worst sort of Super 15, got a chance and grabbed it.

Apart from Kieran Read, this is close to our best XV. I think they are ready to give it plenty.

I feel for them. I was out at the Counties Manukau Steelers awards the other night with Mark Brooke-Cowden, a World Cup winner in 1987, while Eric Rush and I were part of sides who did not do as well.

In some way our failures have heaped even more pressure upon the current side to do the business this time. I’m confident though.

It’s also great we can honour Richie McCaw as he plays his 100th test. It is a huge achievement and will give the All Blacks extra motivation.

There has never been anyone to challenge him. He is an incredible trainer and his work ethic is extraordinary.

I remember standing next to him during the anthems in his 2001 debut at Lansdowne Rd in Dublin.

I told him to relax and he went out and had a blinder – and I had a shocker! That was the start of his fabulous career, he is a heck of a man and heck of a rugby player.

Umaga takes on the French
23 September 2011
Photo courtesy of Alex Wallace

It is well known the French possess some of the finest culinary skills in the world and last night Tana Umaga put that to the test as he took part in the Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Challenge against former French rugby opponent Olivier Magne.

The event took place in the ‘Cloud’ on Queens Wharf in Auckland. Both former rugby internationals representing their respective countries were required to cook a three-course meal in 90 minutes aided by two international top chefs. Umaga was assisted by award winning Al Brown and Magne used the talent of Philippe Clergue, chef de cuisine of Le Cordon Bleu Paris.

Considered the under dogs, the New Zealand team produced a starter of seared scallops and scampi with celeriac and crisp prosciutto, a main of lamb three ways with kumara fondant, pea crush and cherry relish and a desert of orange creme caramel with Cointreau raisins.

Tana said “It was a whole new experience for me and I have a new found respect for chefs and the pressure they are under to get the meal to the table within the time frame while ensuring it tastes incredible and looks like a work of art.”

A panel of three judges and two from the crowd for each course voted in an 11-4 victory over France which Umaga hopes is the indication of what is going to happen when the All Blacks play France in their Rugby World Cup match this weekend.

Timely focus on Smith’s All Black milestone
Article by Tana Umaga that appeared in the New Zealand Herald on Saturday 17 September
Photo courtesy of New Zealand Herald

Recognition of Conrad Smith’s milestone match for the All Blacks last night would have slipped away if Richie McCaw had been fit for his 100th test.

Instead, the rash of injuries gave us a chance to focus on the contribution Smith has made to the All Blacks since he played the first of his 50 tests against Italy at the Stadio Flaminio in 2004. Fittingly, Smith scored the All Blacks’ first try last night.

I played with and against him in Wellington. Maybe the first time was in club rugby when his Old Boys University side played our Petone team and he put one over me and the ref. We were on defence and I tackled him in front of our posts and he did not release the ball. Somehow he won the penalty and they kicked the goal to win the match.

There was not much to him in those days, but he was tenacious, tough and very involved.

Eventually he made his way into provincial and Super rugby and after what seemed quite a short apprenticeship he made the All Blacks in 2004.

Since then he has improved a great deal, bulked up a fair bit and is one of the go-to men for the All Blacks. He is in the leadership group, is someone with a strong intellect and a great work ethic.

That shows on the field and off, where he has completed his law degree and still works for his firm. He is a great guy, has a sharp sense of humour and is a superb team man.

When I went back to play for Wellington in 2005 they had changed the blazer badges for the union. We were sitting in the bus and he turned round and pointed at my badge, asking what that “old” thing was.

I reminded him I’d earned that honour before he was born and demanded, jokingly, he show some respect. Both of us and the rest of the bus cracked up and Conrad has that neat edge to him.

He is an advocate for the players, he has led many negotiations and is not scared to voice his opinion. His play shows the same maturity.

He may not be the biggest centre running around – he’s not like Mike Tindall or Jaque Fourie – but he has enough size and is a clever footballer.

He rarely makes a poor choice on the field and if he does, you can be sure he will be out on the training field practising hard to correct any fault he might have in his game.

He is very passionate, he has courage, he hates losing and never wants to do anything on the field which puts his teammates under more pressure.

Conrad’s best asset is his brain. He thinks things through, he analyses, dissects and fixes issues.

He is very good at the contact area, just like that time I met him in Wellington club rugby, he has good technique, he has enough speed and knows how to be in the right place at the right time. His family are beaut people from Taranaki and they raised a great son and brother.

The late changes forced on the All Blacks last night showed how you always have to be ready.

Whenever a team is named some players will be disappointed but, if you drop your lip, the coaches quickly pick up on that sort of thing. So no matter any hurt, you have to keep training hard to take your chance when it comes.

Cory Jane was someone who did not have a great Super season, but when he got his chance with the All Blacks he took it and is now at the World Cup.

Isaia Toeava got his turn at fullback because of late injuries to Mils Muliaina and Israel Dagg.

He was superb in those duties before he was hurt in the Super 15 and if the other two are not fit for France, he will be right in the frame for that job.

I think it is his best position where he gets a bit of space, gets a lot of touches and looks a lot more comfortable.

Pulling that injured quartet was the right decision. It’s hard on Mils because he wanted to show his form, but these guysall know if they are not 100 per cent, then they should not put the team or themselvesat more risk.

Minnows as exciting to watch as the heavyweights
Article by Tana Umaga in the New Zealand Herald 12 September 2011
Photo courtesy of New Zealand Herald

Attention in World Cups usually settles on the fortunes of the big nations.

This time the discussion has been about the prospects for the All Blacks, Wallabies, Springboks, England and France and how far they will go in the tournament. But I was struck by the way the lesser-fancied sides stood up in their opening matches – there were no score blowouts like there have been in other tournaments.

Romania had an impressive set of forwards, Japan were relentless against France, Namibia never let up and of course Tonga gave the All Blacks plenty to think about in the second half of the first match.

I liked the way referees insisted on the offside line at the breakdowns. Great stuff. Too often defenders crib half a metre and it shuts down games. If the referees continue to be vigilant, I think we might see teams altering their tactics, using the pick’n go much more and that could be a real factor in team patterns.

I’m sure Ma’a Nonu and Conrad Smith are still the prime midfield partnership for the All Blacks, but I liked what I saw when the coaches picked Sonny Bill Williams to start the tournament.

He and Nonu worked well, switching inside and out, and I think it was invaluable for the selectors to give SBW a run to get him up to speed again. He did what he had to do and produced exciting touches, to show he was ready if needed. It helped both to be under the pump a bit and to work their way through those situations.

Victor Vito would also have got a lot of confidence out of his game and so too Richard Kahui.

I know how hard it is to change, going from wing to centre, while Kahui has gone the other way. He is a fit man who has had a horror run with injury and has not had a lot of rugby. But he has mental toughness and that comes from his outlook on life.

He is like an Energiser bunny around the place and that has helped him deal with a career which has been blighted by injury.

I’m not too sure what plans the selectors will have for Japan on Friday. They will make changes, but which ones?

Maybe Richie McCaw will get a rest but he might have to go again because we are down on our loose forward choices.

Mils Muliaina should get a run and they may tinker with the wings again, just so they have looked at a few ideas before the big pool game against France. Then they will want to keep most of that team going against Canada and into the quarter-finals.

Watching that boisterous crowd and all the festivities on opening night at Eden Park gave me a real buzz. It reminded me of all the detail that went into the bid to host the tournament and the delegation that travelled to Dublin hoping to see our vision come true.

We spoke about how important it would be for the Pacific Islands if New Zealand held this event and we saw that impact in megabytes. Tonga’s arrival at the airport drew the crowds and seeing the sea of red among the wash of black at Eden Park on Friday reinforced the tone of New Zealand’s winning host bid. It made me feel warm inside, and there have been similar reactions for Fiji and Samoa around the country.

The buzz was there big time throughout Auckland, at the park and downtown though some of the transport and crowd control issues need to be sorted before the next game against France. It was chaos. We could not have envisioned the spectator traffic throughout Auckland, it seemed half the city was out watching, but we have to cater for it.

People’s safety should be paramount and we have to make sure all our people, kids to grandparents, are looked after.

On the opening day of Rugby World Cup 2011, former New Zealand captain and rugby legend, Tana Umaga, will today (Friday 9 September) join DHL staff to help members of the Red Beach Surf Life Saving Club prepare for the up-coming summer season.

Tana Umaga helps out at Red Beach Surf Life Saving Club
9 September 2011

Tana Umaga is DHL’s New Zealand Ambassador for Rugby World Cup 2011 and will be supporting DHL staff that are volunteering their time to help prepare Surf Life Saving clubs for the upcoming season. The volunteers will give the club’s deck and first aid room a new lick of paint and fill the junior flag pit with sand ensuring the club is ready for when Surf Lifeguards begin patrols on Labour weekend.

DHL is the Official Logistics Partner of Rugby World Cup 2011 and have been proud supporters of Surf Life Saving New Zealand since 2003. The partnership continues to be one of the largest corporate sponsorships for SLSNZ, and significantly contributes towards the ongoing costs associated with training, uniforms, rescue gear and equipment for Surf Life Saving clubs in New Zealand.

“DHL is proud of our association with Surf Life Saving New Zealand and especially proud to be helping Red Beach as it gears up for the busy summer months to come,” said Gary Edstein, Senior Vice President Oceania DHL Express.

Mike Taylor, President of Red Beach Surf Life Saving Club, said: “There is alot to do to prepare the club and the beach for the new season and we are hugely grateful to DHL staff and Tana for pitching in to help us out. It’s also a great way for the DHL employees to get a behind-the-scenes look at what we do to save lives and prevent injury on New Zealand’s beaches.”

DHL staff will also be volunteering their time to help earthquake stricken Christchurch clubs Taylor’s Mistake and Sumner later this year.

The Umaga Influence

Tana Umaga is still one of the most respected men in world rugby and a year on since he first arrived at Counties Manukau, it is easy to see his influence on the players and how he complements Head Coach Milton Haig and Steve Jackson.

It is well known that great rugby players don’t always make great coaches; however Steelers’ Head Coach Milton Haig said this is not an issue for Umaga at Counties Manukau. Having started his coaching career in Toulon where he coached his side to win the French 2^nd Division and move up to 1^st Division, Umaga was provided an opportunity last year to develop his trade in his home country, in South Auckland.

“Tana has adapted to high-level coaching very easily. As you would expect with a former All Black Captain, his tactical knowledge is superior and he really cares about the development of the boys and helping them become better players. He contributes hugely to our environment, gives the boys confidence, genuinely cares about the players and always puts the team first. He is a valuable part of the Counties Manukau family and understands the importance of growth and development of the Union as a whole. He is a coach for all the right reasons.”

Umaga has a great rapport with the players and has the ability to bring out the best in people. He has extremely high standards but leads by example. He has one of the lowest body fat contents in Super Rugby and is fastidious about what he eats, except the night after a game when he will allow himself a special treat for dinner – usually KFC. The fact that at 38 he has shown he can still foot it at Super Rugby level and is still breaking records by becoming the oldest player to score a try in Super Rugby this year is a testament to the character of Umaga.

What does the future hold for Umaga? As you would expect of someone of Umaga’s caliber, there are constantly offers from all over the world flowing in for him; however at the moment he is happy at Counties Manukau. “I’m really enjoying being part of the Counties Manukau family; it is a great area with great people. There is a lot of young talent in the area which I find really exciting which, if developed using the systems we have in place, will hold the future of Counties Manukau rugby in good stead. ” When asked if he will play again next year, Umaga replies “There is one thing I have learned in this life – it is never say never! I love playing rugby, always have and always will. “