Umaga to play again
26 Jan 2009
Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal has confirmed that former All Black and current head coach Tana Umaga will be replaced but will feature as a player.
Umaga, capped 74 times for New Zealand, is 35 years old, but that has not deterred Boudjellal or Umaga from this course of action. His return to the pitch will last for the remainder of the season before he assumes the role of team manager next season.
“Tana is a natural leader and the team has an enormous respect for him,” Boudjellal said. ” He feels ready in his head … and will make his return when he’s ready”.
Current Sale Sharks coach Philippe Saint-André has been confirmed as Umaga’s successor and will start at Toulon on 1 July.
“I said after our defeat to Dax that I was totally responsible for the mistakes in recruitment and that I was searching for a mastermind,” Boudjellal said.
“I’ve found that mastermind: Philippe Saint-Andre, who will be sporting director in charge notably of recruitment and sporting structures. He will work in close collaboration with manager Tana Umaga.”
The club has also confirmed the signing of South African flyhalf Conrad Barnard, former France hooker Sébastien Bruno and France scrumhalf Pierre Mignoni.
26 Comments
26 Jan 2009, 15:15 pm
Sheriff!
26 Jan 2009, 15:15 pm
Hello
26 Jan 2009, 15:16 pm
Now this makes no sense.
26 Jan 2009, 15:19 pm
Janee, klink vir my of Moervark Boujellal nie so lekwar innie koppie is nie !
26 Jan 2009, 15:32 pm
Klink my soos ‘n klomp hansworse daai kant.
26 Jan 2009, 15:35 pm
he’ll manage in that sub standard league in the NH..Even Mike Tindall is still playing for Gloucester and was in the England reckoning until a few months ago.Tana at 35 is stil better than most NH three quarters.
A team that buys a Conrad Barnard is not serious about anything
26 Jan 2009, 16:00 pm
#6 mshiniwami:
there’s a spate of saffas in the NH that were average down here but went there and bacame big hits. maybe barnard may just be one of them.
26 Jan 2009, 16:25 pm
they must be desperate for a flyhalf if they signed Connie Barnard…
this guy played for the Sharks and was craaaaaaaaaap, his kicking for the posts was shocking and he didn’t have much else to offer.
26 Jan 2009, 16:48 pm
Percy’s kicking was shocking but he improved. What’s your point?
26 Jan 2009, 18:16 pm
I just can’t for the life of me figure out why Toulon aren’t performing….clearly the brains trust is firing at 100%. What could it be?
26 Jan 2009, 18:51 pm
Geeze the must be desperate if they went for Conrad Barnard. Nothing special. vodacom cup quality at best.
26 Jan 2009, 20:16 pm
sure Tana can handle it afterall shane williams is 33
26 Jan 2009, 23:06 pm
Ek gaan weer begin glo, want dit is bewys dat gebede verhoor word – Conrad Barnard gaan f.k.f. Whooooohhhhhooooooo!!!!!
26 Jan 2009, 23:08 pm
Sorry, my bad spelling. Conrad – must be Kontrad
26 Jan 2009, 23:28 pm
Jake White overlooked again.
Damn it is tough out there.
27 Jan 2009, 00:52 am
feature as a player?? whats he going to play the flute, the piano or tiddlywinks?
27 Jan 2009, 00:53 am
#6 mshiniwami: Tindall is 30, he just looks ancient
27 Jan 2009, 01:34 am
#15 Gordon Gekko: and jake will tell anyone who cares to listen that he has offers up to his ears to coach, bo!!ocks!
27 Jan 2009, 01:45 am
#16 Big Hit: Nah, MJ has asked to get into shape, just a couple of games is all is that is needed, then he will be in shape for the Pomy team come the Internationals, he would fit in with the rest of the broken arse and hasbeens that play for them!!
27 Jan 2009, 02:49 am
#19 CHAZ: Umugger is a never-was, famous for spear-tackling the Lions captain and thats about it
27 Jan 2009, 06:47 am
#20 Big Hit:
That’s a legend your talking about there buddy, hold your horses
27 Jan 2009, 17:56 pm
#21 sinba556: legend? bawahaha, please…
27 Jan 2009, 19:09 pm
#20 Big Hit: Hang on a minute isn’t the pomy team full of has beens and never was players???
27 Jan 2009, 22:59 pm
Guys be kind to Bug Hit
This is a guys thats holding onto his RWC loss as a win.He is proud that his team lost in the RWC final and NZ didnt.
He hates Tana as England have never had a complete player in that position like Tana,and Chaz,Tana hasnt got the credentials to make the England team,i am sure you have to partake in a rapist course and then he would have to unlearn on how to score tries then he might have a chance at making the great England side
28 Jan 2009, 01:14 am
#24 Hurricane: actually we have a World Cup win this decade, unlike some chokers. How was Tana a complete player, he was a converted wing and average centre. As for your rapist jibes, have a read of the Judge’s report, you might learn something.
28 Jan 2009, 22:25 pm
#25 Big Hit:
Wow,you won the RWC in 2003 phhhtttt so what,i was talking about the RWC 2007 how you compare to Englands run to the ABs,and then you think cos of that it make England better hahahahaha what a joke.
Tana is the complete player compared to what you guys have had over the last 15 years,and you dont know much.Tana started at fullback,then wing then centre,this proves how much competition NZ have and depth,Tana had to play and he was so good he did what he had to do and that included learning different positions.
About reading the judges report,how about you read the scoreboards when England played NZ last year,you might learn something as well
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