Tana Umaga coach of Moana Pasifika Photo: PHOTOSPORT
After expressing his fears for the future of the game, All Black legend Tana Umaga sees rugby heading in the right direction.
With an enthralling start to the Super Rugby Pacific season, Umaga said the quality of the games can't be questioned.
"I believe the product that we're providing is great. There's positive signs definitely. We've just got to be mindful about what the game we want. Obviously I'm a defensive minded coach, so when you're giving away over a hundred points in your first two games, it does kind of hit you. But I go home and my kids, they love the way the game's going, so we're doing something right."
However, Umaga is wary about losing what he calls the essence of the game.
"The greatness about rugby is it's a game for all sizes and if we make it too fast, there's probably some sizes that will struggle to keep up and we don't want to lose what our uniqueness is, which is our forward play, which is the scrummaging. Having strong men having a contest at scrum time, line out time, that's what sets us apart. Otherwise we become too much other games."
The former All Black skipper is hopeful of a return to the glory days of the game, where stadiums across the country were packed to the rafters every weekend.
"I think we are starting to find our feet around what we're trying to achieve, we can't tinker with it too much that we lose what our game has been, should be and will be and make sure that we're all aligned around what kind of game we have because we're all part of the same product. I think it is important for us to entice people back to the game and that we are all singing off the same hymn sheet."
In his second year with Moana Pasifika, Umaga admitted losses to the Reds and Force to start their campaign has hurt.
Their opener was a heartbreaking 46-44 loss in Perth, followed by a 56-36 loss in Brisbane.
Tana Umaga during the All Blacks Test match against the Pacific Islanders at North Harbour Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand, on Saturday 10 June, 2004. The All Blacks defeated the Pacific Islanders, PHOTO: Andrew Cornaga/PHOTOSPORT Photo: ANDREW CORNAGA
"We work hard to score our points yet we just give away points really easily. It's not just about scoring points. Obviously that's important, but we've also got to stop points being scored against us. We're scoring enough points to win games. So there's been a big focus around making sure that we nail our defence."
Umaga said they need to become an 80-minute side in order to compete.
"We can do it in moments. It's obviously the quality sides that can put moments together and the lulls in-between moments aren't long or they're not as damaging as they are for us. So that's a big learning for our players, making sure that once one phase finishes, switch on to the next one."
This weekend marks the first appearance for Moana at Albany for 2025, when the meet the Highlanders on Friday night.
To mark culture round, Moana will don the jerseys worn by the Pacific Islanders when they played the All Blacks in 2004, also at Albany.
"We've just gone back to the old school days, it is a tribute to our beginnings really. That was the start of it and there was a bit of a hiatus after that and now Moana Pasifika has filled that space now. We want to make sure that as we always do as Pacific people, we acknowledge our past, we draw strength from them and we want to make sure that what they started, that we continue with and we make sure that what we leave behind is still strong enough for those that come after us."
Umaga said it's crucial to put on a performance their fans can be proud of.
"To have a home base is huge, to have it here where we train as well, where we've created a community for ourselves out this way and people know that this is where we'll be based for the season. It's massive for us and it's great for our players to understand that too."
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