Umaga in for Kirwan at Blues
Print Edition
FORMER All Blacks captain Tana Umaga has been named coach of the Auckland-based Blues Super Rugby team, replacing John Kirwan who stepped down last week after three years in charge.
The Blues and New Zealand Rugby yesterday announced Umaga’s appointment on a three-year contract.
Umaga played 74 tests for New Zealand before beginning his coaching career with Toulon in the French top 14 competition. He returned to New Zealand to join Counties Manukau in the National Provincial Championships, first as a player-coach, then as head coach.
He was an assistant coach of the New Zealand Under-20 team which last weekend won the junior World Cup.
Under Kirwan, the Blues finished 10th in the 2013 and 2014 Super Rugby tournaments, and 14th this year in their worst-ever season.
Umaga will become the Blues’ 10th coach in 16 years, a turnover which reflects the inconsistency of New Zealand’s largest Super Rugby team. Although it has the biggest player catchment of New Zealand’s five Super Rugby sides, the Blues last won the title in 2003 and have reached the playoffs only twice in the last 10 years.
Umaga is now charged with lifting the Blues out of the doldrums. “I am excited at the opportunity and of course understand there’s a big challenge ahead for us all,” he said. “I know there are a lot of very good players signed on and I look forward to working with them.
“There’s no quick fix to turn things around.”
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