Tana Umaga eyes final fling in Super Rugby

Former All Black captain Tana Umaga wants to return to playing Super Rugby even though he will be 38 during next year’s Super 15 tournament.

Umaga is reported to have put his hand up for a contract with one of New Zealand’s five Super Rugby franchises the man closest to him in his return to the New Zealand game believes teams would be mad not to snap him up.

The former All Black captain who has played 74 Tests for New Zealand has told a media agency that one last hurrah in Super Rugby which he helped launch 15 years ago is appealing to him.

“I haven’t counted it out at all,” the Counties Manukau midfielder and assistant coach told RugbyNews.

“If anything comes, it comes, but if not that’s the way it is.”

Counties Manukau head coach Milton Haig says he has no doubts that former Hurricanes star Umaga would be a smart signing.

Haig has offered advice for coaches such as Chiefs mentor Ian Foster and Highlanders counterpart Jamie Joseph who might be considering Umaga who was an original Hurricane back in 1996.

“Sign him up as quick as you can,”said Haig.

“If they want someone who’s a cool head with all that experience, a former All Black captain who’s played over 300 first-class games and is going to help everyone around him grow, then I couldn’t think of anyone better really.”