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Tana Umaga and the Blues

The Jones Boy

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Has Tana won anything in NZ provincial rugby as a coach ? I'm not too up to date with nz rugby.
 
Has Tana won anything in NZ provincial rugby as a coach ? I'm not too up to date with nz rugby.

Sort of. He got Counties Manakau to promotion to the premier devision. They have been much improved under him. But I still feel it is a bit rushed - and think trying to get someone like Rob Penney who won a tonne would have been smarter. Really everyone loves Umaga and wants him to succeed, but the Blues are a poisoned chalice if ever there was one.
 
I agree he hasnt really achieved enough for me to be running a super rugby outfit. He's ended up more there on his own mana in NZ rugby circles than anything else imo. It is a bit of a continuation of an old boys network up there imo even though he's arguably more connected to welly thats the really annoying part of anything to do with the blues....

That said im not unhappy that he's running the joint as I really dont think he can do any worse than the likes of pat lam and JK. I think the onus should be heavier on guys like Blackadder, Joseph, Tana and all the ex players to prove themselves without doubt at a lower level before they get handed these high paying coaching gigs. As other than Joseph the proof kinda says it doesnt work unless they work their way up to that level with some hard graft.

You never know though their playing roster is pretty good they just lack depth in a few key positions like 10 and the front row/locks.
 
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I agree he hasnt really achieved enough for me to be running a super rugby outfit. He's ended up more there on his own mana in NZ rugby circles than anything else imo. It is a bit of a continuation of an old boys network up there imo even though he's arguably more connected to welly thats the really annoying part of anything to do with the blues....

That said im not unhappy that he's running the joint as I really dont think he can do any worse than the likes of pat lam and JK. I think the onus should be heavier on guys like Blackadder, Joseph, Tana and all the ex players to prove themselves without doubt at a lower level before they get handed these high paying coaching gigs. As other than Joseph the proof kinda says it doesnt work unless they work their way up to that level with some hard graft.

You never know though their playing roster is pretty good they just lack depth in a few key positions like 10 and the front row/locks.

Good post mate.

Before last season even Jamie Joseph had some pretty ordinary results. But it's a joke that some one like Blackadder gets a coaching nod at Crusaders after coaching a season at Edinburgh and Tasman, then 8 years at Crusaders. Same with JK, never won anything even after coaching a reasonable amount of time in international rugby.

It's my big gripe with NZ rugby at the moment. As you mention it's a bit of an old boys club. Would prefer ex players to be proven to get results before promotion. Scott Robertson looks to be doing it the righy way, learning and winning with an ommitedly OP Canterbury side.
 
Agree with the above posters regarding ex-player coaches and the old boys club.

Back to the OPs statement though, my feeling is the Blues have bigger problems than the coach I.E upper management sticking their beak into the coach's job at best, and at worst hamstringing him to the point of redundancy. In other words, changing coach's is simply re-arranging deck chairs on the ***anic.
I also have some reservations about professionlism amongst the players. It's something i can't put my finger on, but in general terms they seem to have these show pony attitudes ,resulting in the show pony haircuts etc, but then have trouble catching the ball especially at clutch moments. Possibly on this point i'm being bias, but if i was a coach/captain fancy hair cuts and dance moves should come second to the team getting the ball over the chalk. In other words, if your performance is on track , live and let live, but if your performing like the blues with the talent pool and support they have i'd be going down a military boot camp style route; shape up or ship out!
 
Agree with the above posters regarding ex-player coaches and the old boys club.

Back to the OPs statement though, my feeling is the Blues have bigger problems than the coach I.E upper management sticking their beak into the coach's job at best, and at worst hamstringing him to the point of redundancy. In other words, changing coach's is simply re-arranging deck chairs on the ***anic.
I also have some reservations about professionlism amongst the players. It's something i can't put my finger on, but in general terms they seem to have these show pony attitudes ,resulting in the show pony haircuts etc, but then have trouble catching the ball especially at clutch moments. Possibly on this point i'm being bias, but if i was a coach/captain fancy hair cuts and dance moves should come second to the team getting the ball over the chalk. In other words, if your performance is on track , live and let live, but if your performing like the blues with the talent pool and support they have i'd be going down a military boot camp style route; shape up or ship out!

Agree 100%!!

It is even worse when ex-players are taken straight on to the staff without going to different clubs and learning different methods. The days of the boot room management at Liverpool FC are not consistent with modern day sport!

What you say about Auckland management, could easily be a description of the French national set up!!! I suspect, from what has been apparent so far, it may also apply to Jones and his relationship with the RFU.......time will tell but Andrew is still there and Ritchie has washed his hands if any responsibility for giving Lancaster (a decent man) and his cohorts contract extensions less than a year before firing them!!
 
It seems the Blues are having a pretty good pre-season. Have to wait and see if that translates into any success to the play-offs.
 
Must say the two 7's star brothers are very exiting players to have. Rieko can go very big in 15's as well
 
Must say the two 7's star brothers are very exiting players to have. Rieko can go very big in 15's as well

Yeah, the Ioane brothers are very exciting. Akira is an absolute freak. Rieko is interesting - he was signed to the Blues at the age of 17, while still at school. That just doesn't happen in New Zealand. They obviously wanted to keep him away from league. I'm not sure if they want to develop him into a winger or a centre. In my mind he's not an out and out speedster, but not sure he has the all round skills for centre. He's still only 18 so who knows how good he's going to be!
 
Agree with Tony Manx and CountiesNZ.

But...
And I hate to sound like a Warriors League supporter here but there are encouraging signs from this team in pre season.
3 games, 3 wins.
And some great play too.
I think the Blues (as always, but possibly more so this year) have the personnal.
I think the likes of Ranger, Kaino and the Ioane Bros can be the difference.
And I HOPE Tana's mana makes a huge difference.
As a lifelong Blues fan I hope for the best. .. but have to somehow expect the worst because of past miss fires
 

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