Go local, Umaga tells Canes
RUGBY
TANA UMAGA won’t be the next Hurricanes coach but the former All Blacks captain has implored the franchise to seek a local candidate to replace Mark Hammett.
After considering previous advice from Steve Hansen, Dave Rennie, Wayne Smith and Graham Henry and drawing on experiences from his coveted career, Umaga concluded the timing wasn’t right for him to chase a Super Rugby head coaching role in the capital just yet.
Umaga said it wasn’t a difficult decision. He is happy and appears to have found a niche in Pukekohe, where he’s had success moulding South Auckland’s unique rich rugby talent and locked away the Ranfurly Shield.
Having his family, which includes five children aged from 7 to 20, all under the same roof for the first time in seven years, was another major factor in committing his future to Counties until 2016. After a twoyear stint as player/coach in France, the 40-year-old didn’t feel comfortable uprooting them again so soon.
‘‘I’m in no rush,’’ Umaga said with a typically relaxed, authoritative tone. ‘‘When I was coming through early some experienced coaches reiterated to me not to jump to Super Rugby. If you get there too early where do you go to after, there aren’t too many options, really. I’ve found a place I enjoy which makes it easy. If I want to get to the next level there will be that opportunity here in New Zealand.
‘‘I believe I’ve got a bit to offer the players around here. I want to see these players from this region out in South Auckland do well and be able to have an experience living the life like I lived.
‘‘With my career I lasted for a while. I always thought I got better as I got older so I’m probably taking a leaf out of my own book in terms of coaching too.’’
Umaga had been widely touted as a potential replacement for Hammett at the end of the season, but he said the almost exact timing of both announcements yesterday was pure coincidence.
‘‘I was surprised by the timing of it,’’ he said. ‘‘I didn’t know what was happening with Hammer.’’
Having ruled himself out of contention for at least the next two years, Umaga hoped the Hurricanes would strongly consider Wellington and New Zealand under-20s coach Chris Boyd, a highly respected figure, and former All Blacks looseforward Filo Tiatia, who is now coaching in Japan. Affiliation with the local region was important, he believed.
‘‘There’s a lot of good people that have played for the Hurricanes in the past that are doing good things coaching wise, the likes of Filo Tiatia and Inoke Afeaki [now technical director of Singapore rugby],’’ the 74-test veteran said.
‘‘There’s opportunities for guys who have been in that culture before. Don’t discount them.
‘‘They’ve got Chris Boyd, who has coached Super Rugby before, and Jason O’Halloran, who is doing his time in Manawatu. There’s plenty of good candidates who know what the franchise is about and are probably up to it.’’