What Tana Umaga doesn’t like about Rassie Erasmus’ coaching innovations and provides verdict on Greatest Rivalry series outcome
Springboks boss Rassie Erasmus (inset) and Ex-All Blacks captain Tana Umaga.
Tana Umaga is looking forward to the prospect of the All Blacks touring South Africa during the upcoming Greatest Rivalry series and revealed the one thing he dislikes about Springboks boss Rassie Erasmus’ coaching innovations.
There has been plenty of hype about the four-Test series between the All Blacks and Springboks, who are the two most successful nations at international level in the history of rugby union.
New Zealand will head out to South Africa in early August with the All Blacks taking on all four of the United Rugby Championship (URC) sides ahead of three clashes with the Springboks in Johannesburg (twice) and Cape Town, before Baltimore hosts the fourth and final Test on September 12.
The upcoming series will be significant as the All Blacks and Springboks have not done battle in a Test series since 1996 when the men in black emerged 2-1 victors in South Africa.
That was the only time that the All Blacks beat their arch rivals in a series in South Africa, in more than 100 years of Test encounters between the nations, and the Boks also achieved that same feat only once on New Zealand soil way back in 1937.
Former All Blacks skipper Umaga, who represented New Zealand in 74 Tests between 1997 and 2005, is excited by the prospect of a series between his nation and the Boks in their backyard and highlighted the importance of the upcoming tour to South Africa.
‘It’s a great challenge’
“The way you look at it is, it’s a great challenge. It’s something that we haven’t done in a long time,” he told the Behind the Ruck podcast.
“I’m probably of that school of thought that I thought having South African teams involved in Super Rugby was great because you got the different levels of rugby or the different kind of styles of rugby.
“And you were able to, that touring component, when you go to South Africa, it’s because you’ve got to play two or three games away. That ability to bring a group together, you can’t do that in Super Rugby now.
“And I think that’s definitely missed. But, number one, I’m a believer that the rivalry and that those battles that New Zealand and South Africa (bring), I think they’re legendary.
“And I’m just glad that they’re going to be happening again.”
The Boks will head into the Greatest Rivalry series as favourites as they are currently firmly entrenched as the top ranked side in World Rugby’s rankings list, while the All Blacks occupy second spot although they are currently without a head coach after Scott Robertson was axed from his position last month.
Umaga, who currently coaches Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby, admitted that, under Erasmus‘ guidance, the Springboks have become a genuine force and deserve their place as the world’s leading side.
“I think it’s, as I said, that’s a great challenge, isn’t it? You know, it’s proven at this stage that South Africa are at the top of the tree at the moment and that’s an exciting place,” he said.
“Well, I believe an exciting place for the All Blacks to be going over there and challenging that on their home soil.
“Again, that’s how you’d see it. That’s how I think I’d see it. I said: ‘Oh, well, we’re going to go take on number one at home. What have we got to lose? Let’s get in there’.
“You know? And I think that’s the exciting part of it and how it should be. And that’s well deserved from a South African point of view, because, you know, I think, you know, you look at the innovation that Rassie’s been able to conjure up and (he’s doing it) time and time again.
“But I just also see the depths of play that are coming through your systems. You know, your young fly-halves, how exciting your backs are.”
Despite admiring Erasmus’ coaching methods and his successes with South Africa, Umaga admitted that there was one of the Boks boss’ innovations which he does not like, although he understands the reasoning behind it.
“I’m not a fan of seven forwards on the bench, you know? We’re having eight of them on the field sometimes!” he said.
‘Why wouldn’t you go to something that works for you?’
“It is definitely harder to get a job as a back, you know? But that works. Why wouldn’t you go to something that works for you? I think that’s just being smart and good strategy, but not everyone can do that. Not everyone has that depth or capability within their squad.
“So, you know, you’ve got to make up and do what’s best for yourselves.”
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Although the All Blacks will be the underdogs for the Greatest Rivalry series, Umaga believes they can cause an upset against the Boks.
“I have to go with my heart, I’ll back the All Blacks,” he replied when ex-Springboks scrum-half Rudy Paige asked for a prediction regarding the winner of the series.
“I’m sure you’d be doing the same. I’m not going to say it’s easy and I’m not going to say I’m right, but I have to back my heart and that the All Blacks will do a job.
“But I know there’s a lot of work to be done to whoever gets that position (as All Blacks coach). And it’s important. And then the group of players that they may bring in to travel to South Africa, that’s going to be another tough job.”
