Andrew Johnsen: Umaga's coaching talents aren't helping the Blues

Tana Umaga's reign at the Blues has been frustrating given his obvious coaching talent. PHOTO/PHOTOSPORT.NZ

What more can Tana Umaga do with the Blues?

The head coach cut a distressed figure while conducting post-match interviews after his side's 2018 season continued its downward spiral after a decidedly poor defensive display against the unfancied Sharks.

The Blues' play without the ball couldn't be further apart from the former All Blacks captain's own game. There is no ferocity, no discipline and no accuracy.

Scoring points isn't and has never been their issue. It's the fact their defensive line resembles an automatic door far too frequently.

A season that started with promise as they pushed the Highlanders to the wire and produced a remarkable comeback victory against last year's finalists Lions has descended into another campaign of mediocrity.

Now, just five games into the season, the Blues need to win virtually every game ahead of them. And given what they are producing at the moment, a win seems further away than ever.

Umaga deemed the defensive performance against the Sharks "embarrassing" and he couldn't have been more apt. Leaking six tries and, more worryingly, seven kickable penalties is a major cause for concern.

The Blues are adamant the effort is there but putting in good training shifts during the week aren't translating into wins.

Umaga knows improvement is desperately needed but where to start isn't easy to decipher. He said their issues on defence aren't just systematic, they are individual.

But this brings a chicken or the egg quandary. Does the poor system bring about bad performances or are lacklustre individual efforts maligning the system?

That's up to Umaga and co to decide.

Much like the Warriors of old (so far, it's only four weeks into the NRL season), their issues are much too complex to solve with a simple coaching change.

They had issues under Pat Lam and even moreso with Sir John Kirwan at the helm. Clearly it goes deeper than the man with the clipboard.

This isn't purely an Umaga issue, and the blame in sport far too often lands at the feet of the head honcho, but there are questions being raised.

Is he the right man for the job or, more accurately, is this the right job for the man?

Whether there is enough buy-in or help from the Blues is anyone's guess but Umaga has proved he is a talented coach - his successes at Toulon and Counties-Manukau attest to that.

More than almost anyone, Umaga deserves the right to attempt to steady the ship but time is ticking.

One or two more displays like the one previous could be curtains on Umaga in Auckland and that would be a great shame.

Umaga has developed a constantly improving culture within the Blues. Much like Stephen Kearney with the Warriors, personal accountability is a pillar of his coaching ethos.

Patrick Tuipulotu can definitely vouch for that after being dropped by Umaga for their historic win over the British and Irish Lions last year.

Since then, he has been in career best form.

Umaga has a bright future in coaching but unless performances lift, it may not be with the embattled Blues.