MacDonald up, Umaga down in Blues reshuffle
The new boardroom leadership at the Blues clearly means business – fast-tracking the removal of Tana Umaga as head coach a year ahead of schedule.
The Auckland-based Super Rugby franchise announced yesterday that former All Blacks skipper Tana Umaga had been demoted in a radical coaching shakeup at the under-performing outfit.
Leon MacDonald, initially appointed to come in as Umaga’s assistant and attack specialist for the 2019 season, now assumes the head coaching responsibilities on a three-year arrangement and Umaga drops into an assistant’s role responsible for defence.
Umaga takes up a two-year contract in his new role. Tom Coventry (forwards) and Danial Halangahu (skills/backs) remain as the other new additions to the revamped coaching setup.
It had been widely recognised around the Blues that MacDonald, previously an assistant with the Crusaders and fresh off three seasons with the reins of the provincial Tasman Mako, was being brought in to assume the top coaching job from Umaga who had failed to make a tangible difference in his three years in the top job. That process has now simply been put into fast-forward.
The Blues have been New Zealand’s perennial under-achievers in Super Rugby and under Umaga had made little or no progress. They have not made the playoffs since 2011 and have finished no higher than ninth on the overall standings since then. They have had just one winning record in the past seven seasons, and have slipped into a permanent position as wooden-spooners of the otherwise highly competitive New Zealand conference.
Under Umaga the Blues finished 11th in 2016 with an 8-1-6 record; 9th in 2017 on 7-1-7; and slipped right back to 14th of the 15 teams this year when they limped home with an abysmal 4-12 mark.
That prompted a New Zealand Rugby intervention with private equity owner Murray Bolton ousted and the board reconstituted to include three NZR representatives, including former All Blacks coach John Hart and ex-government minister and cabinet member Sam Lotu-Iiga.
The shock coaching shakeup, and the immediate elevation of MacDonald into the job he was hired for, indicate the franchise’s new governance is prepared to make the big calls to address the franchise’s many issues.
Umaga said, via a Blues statement, that he was happy to take the step down for the good of the franchise. Of course, he would have seen the writing on the wall.
‘‘After the end of season review I signalled that my passion lies with my new responsibility as defence coach and I believe that is where I can make the greatest contribution and difference at the Blues,’’ Umaga said.
‘‘I support the decision to appoint Leon and I believe that the coaching team of Leon, Tom and myself is the best that we could have at the Blues for the 2019 season and beyond.’’
MacDonald, a 56-test All Black, started coaching at the Tasman Mako after his playing retirement in 2010. He was an assistant with the Crusaders in 2017 and signed a fresh three-year deal with Tasman after leaving the Christchurch franchise. He also worked with Umaga with the New Zealand Under-20s in 2015.
‘‘I am highly motivated to help with the Blues’ vision for success,’’ MacDonald said. ‘‘I decided to move to the Blues to work with Tana and with Tom Coventry, and nothing has changed in that respect.
‘‘This opportunity has arisen and I am honoured to have been considered for the role. I will give it my heart and soul.
‘‘I’ve also talked to Tana and Tom and both of them are both hugely supportive and also very committed to our combined desire to continue to move this club forward.’’