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'Lot of work trying to make sure he doesn't make the same mistake'

(Photo by Zac Goodwin/PA Images via Getty Images)

Lee Blackett has given his assessment on how Jacob Umaga has responded after getting red carded in two consecutive games during the winter for Wasps. The one-cap England prospect was originally suspended for the Gallagher Premiership red card he received on Boxing Day for a dangerous tackle on Ollie Hassell-Collins of London Irish.

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Umaga was given a three-match ban following that sending-off and was set to sit out the European game versus Toulouse in January. However, the successful completion of a World Rugby tackle school intervention shaved the last week off that suspension, freeing the 23-year-old to be chosen at full-back by Wasps for their Heineken Champions Cup tie. 

That return didn’t go to plan, however, as Umaga was red-carded six minutes before the interval for clattering into visiting scrum-half Martin Page-Relo, an incident that resulted in an even heftier four-week ban. 

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The Breakdown | Episode 10 | Sky Sport NZ

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The Breakdown | Episode 10 | Sky Sport NZ

The youngster is now back in action for his club, starting for Wasps in seven recent matches, five wearing the No15 shirt and another two as the starting No10, and this Sunday he will provide cover from the bench for the visit to London Irish in the Premiership.

That is a lot of confidence-restoring minutes on the pitch, so how does Wasps boss Blackett rate the form of Umaga and his attitude in putting the consecutive red cards behind him? “Like anyone Jacob just wants to play, so he was frustrated,” explained Blackett when asked by RugbyPass. 

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“He did a lot of work on his technique trying to make sure he doesn’t make the same mistake. I saw something with Shaun Edwards the other day where he said about the players, it’s that split last-second decision and it is the difference between a red card and a good tackle now. He got a couple wrong, didn’t he, and as a result spent a fair amount of time on the sideline, but I have been happy with him coming back at 15. It gives us another pivot in the backline, a decision-maker, so I have been really pleased where he has come back and how he has come back.”

For a young player with hopefully a long career ahead of him at Wasps, the adversity of those red cards will surely in time become a positive learning experience for Umaga. “It’s the same for any young guy coming through, you are going to have to deal with setbacks, that is what happens. 

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“You are going to have to deal with dips in form, you are going to have to deal nowadays – as Jacob found out -with being suspended and being frustrated and coming into training and not having any end product in playing at the weekend. Look, I have been pleased with how Jacob has come through. You can’t forget how young he is still and I’m sure there will be some things he is going to have to learn from in the future but we have been really happy with the form since he returned.”

Umaga was the Wasps star at out-half during their run to the Gallagher Premiership final in 2019/20, but the even younger Charlie Atkinson has been the club’s preferred No10 in many of its recent games, leaving Umaga to start more at No15. 

“He played a lot of his junior stuff at full-back, played a lot of his stuff when he went to the Championship at full-back and when he went over to New Zealand, so it is not something that is completely new,” continued Blackett. 

“With a lot of modern-day tens as well, they defend a lot in the backfield so you quite often find with a lot of teams the tens and the 15s are in the backfield. That is not new. It’s probably just where he finds himself at the end of the line in attack sometimes and for us having that second playmaker out there has added a difference definitely to our edge attack.”

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Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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