Embattled Umaga backed by Blues boss

MARC HINTON

Tana Umaga’s Blues boss has all but rubber-stamped his reappointment as coach of New Zealand’s most under-achieving Super Rugby franchise.

Blues chief executive Michael Redman took the unusual step of calling his own press conference yesterday to throw his support behind the embattled Umaga, who is showing no signs of taking the club to any promised land just yet.

The Blues have just two wins from eight matches in 2018 and sit second from bottom on the overall standings with just 12 points. They are seven points off the eighth, and final, qualifying spot for the playoffs and look destined for another season of ignominy.

The franchise has made the playoffs just once over the last decade and hasn’t won a championship since 2003. Its best finish in the previous six years has been the ninthplace effort last year, and it is not tracking to better that in 2018.

Umaga is in the final term of a three-year contract with the Blues, and Redman indicated that they, in conjunction with New Zealand Rugby, hoped to have a decision made on the coaching group for next year and beyond over the next few weeks.

And, given Redman’s comments to a large media pack assembled yesterday, you can take it as read that it will almost certainly involve the reappointment of the former All Blacks skipper to continue on with his reclamation job.

‘‘I think it’s fair to say there is plenty of support for Tana within New Zealand Rugby and the Blues,’’ said Redman. ‘‘We think he’s got a great rugby brain, he has the respect of the players, and he has my support and the support of the board. So we’ll work through the process to determine what the coaching group looks like.’’

Redman indicated that Umaga was keen to continue in the role and all but endorsed him for it when he responded to a question asking what was wrong with the struggling franchise?

‘‘We’re part of a system, we’re the fully professional end of that system, but all the parts of that system need to work. What we can control is our environment, and the quality of people we bring into our environment, the coaches and players, and the resources and culture we have around them.

‘‘We haven’t been able to deliver and changing coaches every cycle hasn’t worked for the Blues previously ... our preferred option would be to try to work with the group we have.’’

Expect Umaga’s reappointment to be ratified soon.