46 Facts About Tana Umaga

Jonathan Ionatana Falefasa Umaga is a New Zealand former rugby union footballer and former captain of the national team, the All Blacks.

Tana Umaga played for the Hurricanes from Super 12's inception in 1996 and took over the captaincy in 2003.

Tana Umaga played four games in 2007 for the Wellington Lions in the Air New Zealand Cup, to play 100 matches for the province, before taking up the position of coach at Toulon.

Tana Umaga returned to a playing role for Toulon in the second half of that season, and at the same time announced that he would not continue as head coach beyond that season.

In March 2010, Tana Umaga again returned to the playing ranks following a serious hip injury to Christian Loamanu.

Tana Umaga was born to Samoan immigrant parents, and grew up playing rugby league.

Tana Umaga played for the Wainuiomata Lions and rose through the ranks, making the Wellington U-16 and U-17 sides, and was eventually named in the Junior Kiwi side of 1991.

Tana Umaga never did play a First-Grade NSWRL Premiership game.

The brothers played on opposite teams in a Test match between Samoa and New Zealand in 1999 during which Tana Umaga scored two tries.

Tana Umaga played wing for the Wellington Lions in 1994 and quickly became a fixture in the starting line-up alongside his brother who played on the wing.

Tana Umaga scored more tries than any other player within the team for three successive years, and in 1996 was selected for the original Hurricanes squad.

Tana Umaga played in the first Bledisloe Cup match in 2000, dubbed "the game of the century", scoring an early try.

Tana Umaga signed a new four-year contract with the NZRU, and when Alama Ieremia took up a contract in Japan, Umaga decided to shift his focus to centre, despite scoring 9 tries in 7 tests on the wing that year.

Randell himself was Maori and did not wish to play against them, and Tana Umaga was placed on the wing a position stated he didn't want to play.

Tana Umaga told the coaches he was fit for selection for the Bledisloe match tie against Australia but was again no selected, Daryl Gibson taking the spot on the bench.

Tana Umaga came off the bench against South Africa at his home ground Westpac Stadium.

Tana Umaga would go on to make the Tri-Nations XV; a team based on Zurich world player rankings.

Tana Umaga was to lead the Hurricanes in 2003, taking over from Gordon Slater, under coach Colin Cooper.

Tana Umaga's form was recognised and he was rewarded with a spot in the All Blacks, named as vice-captain under Reuben Thorne who would lead the team to the World Cup.

Tana Umaga stopped playing despite his team being in an attacking position; to check that Charvis had not swallowed his mouthguard.

Tana Umaga placed him in the recovery position and for this act, the Council of the International Fair Play Committee awarded Umaga the Pierre de Coubertin medal for outstanding sportsmanship.

Tana Umaga was the first New Zealander to receive the award.

Spencer came out unhurt but unfortunately Tana Umaga suffered a damaged posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and was forced to leave the field.

Tana Umaga was the first New Zealander of Pacific Island heritage to captain the All Blacks in a test match.

Tana Umaga's captaincy began well, with victory in the first six tests, including two victories against World Cup holders England.

In Paris in 2004 Tana Umaga became the first New Zealand rugby player of non-Maori descent to lead the Haka, thus making him the Prematch Haka leader.

Tana Umaga celebrated his 100th match for the Hurricanes, when his team overcame the Blues.

Tana Umaga was involved in an incident in the first Test of the Lions' tour on 25 June 2005 that caused friction between the Lions and the All Blacks.

Tana Umaga led the All Blacks to their second Northern Hemisphere Grand Slam.

Tana Umaga's announcement led to Richie McCaw succeeding him as captain.

Tana Umaga replaced the woman's damaged cell phone, and the woman went on to sell her handbag and broken cell phone for NZD23,000 on the New Zealand internet auction site Trade Me.

Tana Umaga eventually signed for French club Toulon that had been recently relegated from the Top 14 to Pro D2.

Tana Umaga's contract allowed him to play the entire 2006 Air New Zealand Cup season for Wellington before travelling to France.

Tana Umaga ended up playing only seven matches for Toulon as Wellington made the ANZ Cup final.

Tana Umaga was surprised to see how close to the players the fans were and how noisy the atmosphere was.

Tana Umaga returned to New Zealand at the end of his contract with Toulon following their 7 January 2007 win over Grenoble.

When Tana Umaga arrived in Toulon they were ninth in the Pro D2 table; when he left they had risen to third.

Tana Umaga played his last season for the Hurricanes in 2007.

On 25 September 2007, Tana Umaga released a book detailing his career.

Tana Umaga was named in the Chiefs' starting line-up for their opening Super Rugby fixture of the 2011 season to face the ACT Brumbies.

On Friday, 12 March 2010, Counties Manukau announced that Tana Umaga had signed for the province as a player coach for the Air New Zealand Cup.

Tana Umaga was widely tipped to sign on as head of the Blues franchise for the 2016 Super Rugby competition, following the resignation of Sir John Kirwan from this role in June 2015.

Tana Umaga held the position of Head Coach between 2016 and 2018, when he was replaced by Leon MacDonald, but would remain as part of a stable coaching set up as Defence coach.

Nephews Peter and Thomas Tana Umaga-Jensen have represented Wellington at rugby at senior level.

Tana Umaga is married to Rochelle; the couple have four children together.

Shortly after this achievement, Tana Umaga was promoted to black belt in the sport by his coaches at Alliance Jiu-Jitsu in Auckland, New Zealand.