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'You never know': Former All Blacks skipper teases new Super Rugby head coach role

(Photo by Dianne Manson/Getty Images)

Former All Blacks captain and Blues assistant coach Tana Umaga isn’t staking a claim on the Moana Pasifika coaching job, but he won’t rule it out either.

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Umaga will mentor the Pacific side, which was unveiled this morning, in their clash against the Maori All Blacks on December 5 in Hamilton.

The same side are set to join the new-look Super Rugby competition in 2022 that involves 12 teams spread across New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific.

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Umaga has one year remaining on his current contract with the Blues which will free him up for a potential role elsewhere the year after, should he pursue it.

He told Stuff he is happy at the Blues, but doesn’t know what the future holds.

“I know that with this kind of opportunity [at Moana Pasifika] in 2022, there’s going to be some great coaches that will put their hands up,” he says.

“It will definitely be something to be part of, but I have to say that I’m very happy with where I am at the Blues.

“I know it [Moana Pasifika] will be in good hands. [But] if it’s there and the timing is good you never know what will happen.”

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The Auckland franchise will, likely, be strong-willed on keeping Umaga in the fold beyond next year. The 47-year-old’s time with them has been for the most part fruitful.

After some turbulent early years filtered with promising moments, the team showed signs of improvement in 2019 breaking winless droughts against New Zealand sides, before emerging as a legitimate contender in Super Rugby in 2020.

They finished second on the Super Rugby Aotearoa ladder behind the Crusaders, and are set to give the southerners another run for their money in 2021.

“We’re just starting to see the fruits of some hard labour from the players and some hard-working people at the club that have stuck with it,” Umaga says.

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“Our boys are maturing and you can see now that we’re creating some All Blacks and we’ve got a great coaching staff here.

“We’d like to try and take it another step forward and get to the final next year.”

Umaga’s head coaching career began with Toulon in 2008, before moving onto Counties Manukau as an assistant and then head coach. During his time with the Steelers he oversaw their promotion in to the Mitre 10 Cup Premiership.

His tenure with the Blues began in 2016.

For the meantime, Umaga’s focus will move to the cohort of Pasifika talents he will need to bring together to take down the Maori All Blacks.

The team is filled with Super Ruby and Mitre 10 Cup talent, including Josh Ioane, Vince Aso, Stephen Perofeta, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Sione Mafileo and Folau Fakatava.

“We have got a few young guys who are knocking on that All Blacks door, so there’s still that opportunity,” Umaga said.

“For us they were just players that you couldn’t leave out.

“Marino [Mikaele-Tu’u], Folau Fakatava, Sione Mafileo in terms of what he has done with that North Harbour pack, Leicester Fainga’anuku…young men who still have [All Blacks} aspirations I’m sure.

“And yet from our point of view they were some of the form players in the competition.

“I had to play against Sitiveni [Sivivatu] and Sione [Lauaki] before they became All Blacks and they made it hard work for us on that night [in 2004] and I remember that clearly.”

Listen to the latest episode of the Aotearoa Rugby Pod below:

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R
RedWarrior 1 hour ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

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