Tana Umaga: Re-signs with Steelers
ITM Cup Championship-winning coach Tana Umaga has re-signed as the head coach of Counties Manukau for the next two years.
Last weekend Umaga took the talented young team to their first final win in nearly two decades and is looking to continue the good work he has started with the Steelers.
Umaga is happy to stay in South Auckland, having enjoyed his last three years in the province.
"It is important for me to foster home grown talent within the region, create a good team culture and a positive environment for our players to grow," he said.
"Our promotion to the first division is going to bring even more challenges for both me as coach and the team.
"We have all worked really hard this season and I am looking forward to working even harder next season so we can carry on delivering good on field results and continue to develop good young men off the field."
Comments
paulynz says...
@D4tress
That was 7 years ago pal, let it go.
And if you really can't let it go, remember also that he was awarded the Pierre de Coubertin Medal, a prestigious award for outstanding sportsmanship. One of only two sportspeople outside of the Olympics to receive that award.
Posted 09:02 03rd November 2012
D4tress says...
Great player, but he's still a scumbag at heart. That spear tackle on BOD was a disgrace and he has to live with it. Mealamu too.
Posted 13:47 02nd November 2012
Melkiwi says...
@ sirtidychris 7 years and still holding a grudge. No one other than tana will know if it was intentional or not. But was BOD really that big of a threat to the abs. Don't think so. A lot of bad stuff happen in rugby and for tana after a very very long career that is the only not so good thing I can think of that he has done. So to me he's an absolute legend
Posted 12:58 02nd November 2012
sirtidychris says...
He is a legend but after 7 years I still find what he did to BOD on the lions hard to swallow so for me he isn't the greatest.
Posted 08:36 02nd November 2012
Ramage says...
To see the way that Tana's team ran the ball in their games was absolutely magnificent. The way passed ran on to it showed the flair many Island players have. Tana was able to bring this out. South Auckland is a melting pot of New Zealanders of Pacific Island heritage and was a place I enjoyed living in.
The next stage has arrived and next year in the Premiership they have some very experienced teams that they will come up against. No doubt they have learend much from their 2012 campaign and we look forward to Tana and his team learning more along the way. Good luck for the 2013 season.I now have two teams to cheer for in the Premiership so will have to choose who to back when the Naki meet the Steelers.
Posted 23:48 01st November 2012
Centre12 says...
This guy is an absolute legend!!!!!! I would put a nice little earner on his kids being future AB's. In my opinion best #13 to have ever graced the game along with BOD. Keep up the good work at coaching Tana!!!!!!!!!
Posted 07:24 01st November 2012