Tana on the comeback trail?
Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:06
Counties-Manukau are in discussion with former All Black captain Tana Umaga about a possible return to New Zealand.
They see Umaga as a potentially valuable addition to their squad for what may be for Counties-Manukau a make-or-break Air New Zealand Cup 2010 campaign.
The grapevine has it that they are close to contracting Umaga,though head coach Milton Haig told stuff.co.nz: "There's a lot of water to go under the bridge yet".
Haig emphasised that the priority for Counties-Manukau was to contract players and whether, at 36, Umaga would be able to make an effective comeback as a player instead of focussing solely on pursuing his coaching career, is a moot point.
He has been coaching at Toulon since 2007, where the head coach is former French Test star and now highly regarded coach, Philippe St Andre. Umaga is committed to Toulon until the end of the present European season.
The substantial impact it would have on their budget must be a primary concern for Counties-Manukau, since it would take a lucrative contract to entice Umaga to join them, and they will have to be convinced that he can add huge value as both coach and player.
Haig has one more year to run on his contract as head coach.
"We are certainly in talks with a number of agents around Europe in terms of player recruitment. Tana's agent is one of them. But we haven't got past second base yet," Haig told Stuff.
"We do know what he is looking for - to fit into an assistant coach role as well as playing. We are interested in him firstly as a player, absolutely."
Haig felt that with Counties' core players having been tied down to new contracts, a couple of big names from offshore would certainly boost the young squad.
"We are talking to agents in Europe about all sorts of people; we'd be interested in Carl Hayman as well," joked Haig before adding: "You would be surprised who wants to come home, that's for sure."
Umaga briefly returned to playing duties in France last season to help Toulon avoid relegation.
He has restricted his role to coaching this season and on the evidence of his participation in an international 10s tournament in Cape Town last weekend, he would have to go through a serious conditioning programme to make a comeback.
His vision and timing looked reasonably sharp in the Cape Town festival but his match fitness would need a lot of work.
Umaga won 74 caps for New Zealand between 1997 and 2005 and was captain of the All Blacks in 21 Tests.
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