Umaga sets standards for Moana Pasifika
For Tana Umaga, there’s more that goes into coaching Moana Pasifika than just making sure the game plan is correct and he makes the right selections.
The former All Blacks captain also needs to show the players what the standards are for being a Super Rugby Pacific team.
Moana Pasifika got the season off to a respectable start last weekend in their 35-21 loss to the Highlanders, a game that was a lot tighter than the scoreline suggests.
But the challenge for the young team will be to play at a high level every week, especially as for so many in the squad this will be their first experience in a fully professional environment.
“It’s something we talked about right at the start,” Umaga said. “It’s being a professional sports person and the ability to do the things you need to do, to be able to compete every week.
“A lot of that is a change in behaviour. It’s also that they don’t know what they don’t know. Some players have never been in an environment at this level before.
“Some guys have come from NPC, some have come from club rugby in Australia. They’ve sampled it, but not been in it the whole time.
“The standards we set have to be high and for some, it’s new to them. But a credit to this side is that they’ve embraced everything we’ve thrown at them.’’
Last year, set pieces were a big issue for
Moana Pasifika; at times it felt like they might as well not bother to have scrums or lineouts, just give the ball straight to the opposition and get on with the game.
But there was a dramatic improvement against the Highlanders last weekend, something which delighted Umaga.
“100% on scrums and 100% on lineouts, our set-piece coaches were very happy with that,” Umaga smiled.
“That’s what drives us, what’s happened in the past. We’ve got to acknowledge that, if you can’t win your own ball, it makes for a tough game.
“It was a major part of our pre-season and we’re very happy with how that side of our game went. Yet, the scoreboard doesn’t reflect how many scrums and lineouts you won, it just says if you won or not.
“We talk about repeatability all the time, how do we keep doing the same thing over and over again at a high level, rather than dropping off.
“Can our players get up again? It’s about consistency, it’s one thing getting better, but it’s got to be every week.
“That’s not just results, it’s before that,” he added. “It’s our behaviour to turn up on time, our behaviour in the gym and when we come out here on to the training field.”
Moana Pasifika play Fijian Drua in Melbourne on Saturday night. They have never defeated the Drua.
“It’s being a professional sports person and the ability to do the things you need to do, to be able to compete every week.’’
Tana Umaga