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Home / Sport / League

League: Tana may turn out for the All Golds

By Michael Brown
9 Jun, 2007 05:00 PM3 mins to read

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Tana Umaga may return to his league roots. Photo / Adrian Malloch

Tana Umaga may return to his league roots. Photo / Adrian Malloch

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KEY POINTS:

Tana Umaga could play for the All Golds during the New Zealand rugby league tour of Britain in October.

Umaga is considering an approach to play for the All Golds to celebrate a century of rugby league in New Zealand. They will take on a Northern Union side
in a replication of a game played in 1907, when a group of players, some well-known All Blacks, toured the UK as a league side.

Umaga played rugby league until 1993 and could be re-united with former Kiwis captain Ruben Wiki if he turns out for the All Golds.

Umaga partnered Wiki in the centres for the Junior Kiwis in 1991. The team was coached by Frank Endacott, who later went on to coach the Kiwis.

NZRL director of football Graham Lowe was cagey when asked about Umaga's involvement but said he was keen to have All Blacks involved.

"The flavour of the All Golds is that it's a celebration," Lowe said. "The original team was a team full of All Blacks, they even played in an All Black jersey, and I think we need to keep that flavour in mind when we are looking at this team.

"It's well accepted that I've tried to go for the best for whatever team I have been involved with. I'm not a selector [for the All Golds] but I'm laying out the map of what this team and game will reflect."

Umaga's involvement will largely hinge on whether he can get time off from his role of general manager with French second division club Toulon.

He will play four games for Wellington in the Air New Zealand Cup before heading to France in mid-August for the start of the French season.

Umaga made a significant impact for Toulon as a player during a nine-game stint at the end of the last French season.

If his schedule allows, he could travel to Warrington for the All Golds game, which will be played a day after the rugby World Cup final in France.

It's understood other former All Blacks are also likely to be approached to play for the All Golds.

Wiki and Nigel Vagana, who both retired from international rugby league after the Kiwis' extra-time loss to Australia in last year's Tri Nations final, have both been approached to play, while Stacey Jones could also receive an invitation.

Andrew Johns had originally been selected to play the role of Dally Messenger, but that could now pass to Australia and Queensland skipper Darren Lockyer. He is favoured to assume the role ahead of the likes of Brad Fittler, Shane Webcke and Trent Barrett.

The rest of the side will be selected by the as-yet un-named coach, NZRL high performance director Tony Kemp and chairman of selectors Howie Tamati.

The game will be played at Warrington, six days before the Kiwis play the first of three tests against Great Britain on October 28 (NZT). A number of current Kiwis are expected to be picked for the All Golds.

Meanwhile, Kemp has joined present selectors Daryl Halligan, Darrell Williams and Tony Iro on the Kiwis selection panel. Kemp recently started his role as NZRL high performance director and Lowe said "it makes sense" to include him.

Kemp has also been instrumental in developing a proposal for Australian-based Kiwi under-16 and under-18 sides to play their New Zealand counterparts before full New Zealand sides are chosen.

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