All Blacks great Tana Umaga played in 74 Test matches for New Zealand, but it’s what he’s doing in his post-playing days that brings him motivation and joy these days.
A fulfilling coaching career has seen the 50-year-old spend time with Toulon, Counties Manukau, the New Zealand Under-20s, the Blues, Manu Samoa, and now a return to Super Rugby Pacific franchise Moana Pasifika.
Last week all squads were announced for the 2024 season, and the balance of Moana Pasifika’s list makes for interesting reading.
20 out of their 38 players are newly contracted to the side, 19 featured in the recent Rugby World Cup in France, plus there are eleven Super Rugby debutants.
Given that last figure, Umaga admits that he is yet to meet several of his new players – but the head coach sees value in balancing youthful exuberance with a few experienced heads.
“They show good example of the behaviours that I’m looking to show these young guys who come with a lot of energy, and probably trepidation as well. They’ve achieved this goal of becoming professional rugby players by signing these contracts and now they have to learn what that means,” Umaga told Mark Stafford on SENZ Afternoons.
Former Wallaby Sekope Kepu and dual international Christian Lealiifano are two highly-respected players that Umaga will look to lean on.
“All their experience is going to be invaluable for us – I had to know that the fire still burns within them to be competitive and want to play, and in speaking to both of these guys, they still have that fire.
“But also, there’s an element of giving back too. They understand what Moana Pasifika is about and they understand the role we play in developing Pacific Island players, specifically Samoan and Tongan players for their national teams - both see the value of what’s happening here.”
When asked about his own personal growth as a coach, Umaga remains philosophical about his position. Not wanting the game he loves to leave him behind, ‘T’ as he is affectionately known, makes a conscience effort to continually develop himself as a coach and grow as rugby union evolves over time.
“I’ve gone back to my heritage and embraced that. Spending time with Manu Samoa in recent years and coming back from the World Cup, I’ve taken a lot from those environments,” Umaga added.
“I only teach from what I know and what I’ve learnt from my experiences has been huge, (like) how important our culture is to Pacific Islanders and how we can incorporate that into sport.
“Case and point, I found my way through school and didn’t achieve much, but sport has gotten me to where I am – we see a lot of that with our Pasifika men and women that sport can be a saviour, it can give us pathways into progressing in life.
“I want us to be able to embrace that and use that as a platform to build our game and our club.”
His coaching group is rounded out by the inclusion of Toaigaotumua Tom Coventry and Stephen Jones.
The latter a former Welsh first-five who can bring a Northern Hemisphere approach to the game which Umaga believes can greatly benefit how they approach their attacking game, while Coventry is a renowned forwards coach who knows how to win Super Rugby titles.
2024 will be a major task for them – Moana Pasifika finished bottom of the table with one win over 14 matches, their sole victory came at the misfortune of the NSW Waratahs in June, 33-24 on the road. But the record doesn’t give a complete picture of how the team performed in their sophomore season.
Based out of Mt Smart Stadium, home of the NRL’s New Zealand Warriors, Moana Pasifika also produced a couple of one-point thrillers against the Fijian Drua and the Blues that highlighted the threat they pose to the competition.
And while the Samoan and Tonga national teams only managed one win a piece in the recent World Cup, the success of the Flying Fijians shows that having Super Rugby teams focused on developing those tier two Pacific nations is a practice worth pursuing further for the future health of the sport.
2024 Moana Pasifika squad:
Props: Abraham Pole, Donald Brighouse, James Lay, Sateki Latu, Sekope Kepu, Suetena Asomua.
Hookers: Samiueka Moli, Sama Malolo, Tomasi Maka.
Locks: Irie Papuni, Ofa Tauatevalu, Samuel Slade, Tom Savage, Viliami Napa’a.
Loose forwards: Alamanda Motuga, Lotu Inisi, Miracle Faiilagi, Ola Tauelangi, Semisi Paea, Sione Havili Talitui, Solomone Funaki.
Halfbacks: Aisea Halo, Ereatara Enari, Jonathan Taumateine.
First-fives: Christian Lealiifano, William Havili.
Midfielders: D’Angelo Leuila, Fine Inisi, Henry Taefu, Lalomilo Lalomilo, Pepesana Patafilo.
Outside backs: Anzelo Tuitavuki, Danny Toala, Julian Savea, Neria Fomai, Nigel Ah Wong, Otumaka Mausia, Viliami Fine.
Listen to the full interview with SENZ Afternoons below: