What happened to Tana Umaga, New Zealand's 15th star of the 2000s?

Tana Umaga, now retired, became an iconic player of the 2000s. But what happens to the New Zealand rugby player now?

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He is a player who made his mark on rugby fans in the 2000s. Tana Umaga He was a character in the oval world. It is primarily thanks to his performances on the field that the New Zealand midfielder has forged his legend. His pace and pace were formidable weapons for the opposition's defensive curtains. He notably played alongside the phenomenal Jonah Lomu. But also thanks to his own style, his famous braids appear on the lawn Former All Blacks captain He made a name for himself.

His time in the RCT

Today, it's clearly Tana Umaga He stopped his professional career several years agowho began his professional career in 1994. Since his final retirement from the sport in 2011, the 50-year-old now holds the position The role of the coach. Before actually hanging up his boots, the Lower Hutt native tried his hand in that position at RC Toulon.

After being included as a player during the 2006-2007 season, Mourad Boudjellal, president of the Var club, appointed him manager of Rouge et Noir for two years. The first season was synonymous with a return to the top 14 in the RCT but the second season was much more difficult for a return to the elite. Tana Umaga was eventually removed from his position as coach to make way for Philippe Saint-Andre before becoming a Toulon player again at the end of the 2008-09 financial year.

Now a coach in Super Rugby

After taking on his dual role as coach and player, the New Zealander finally put his athleticism aside to become a full-time coach. Finally at Counties Manukau, his country's club, he had his senior experience from 2010 to 2015. After a stint as coach of the Auckland Blues (2016-2018), Umaga returned to New Zealand and took over the captaincy. Moana Pasifika in Super RugbyThe club was founded in 2020. At the same time it was named Samoa defense coach. So we could see him in France during the 2023 World Cup.