By DAVID LEGGAT
Centre
Age: 30
Height: 1.87m
Weight: 102kg
NPC team: Wellington
Super 12: Hurricanes
Super 12 games: 83
Test debut: 1997
Test caps: 52
An All Black rarely makes a name for himself in two positions.
But Umaga can lay claim to that.
He made his first impact as a winger after
marking his debut against Fiji at Albany with a try in 1997.
He played 18 tests up until 2000 on the wing, where he was invariably threatening, before switching to centre.
Umaga's argument was that he lacked the real pace required outside.
He did not seem a natural linkman at No 13 but grew into the position to such an extent that he was regarded as perhaps the game's best along with Ireland's Brian O'Driscoll, albeit with a different style.
This has been a difficult year. Space has crammed up, opportunities have been limited and the plaudits have gone to Joe Rokocoko and Doug Howlett outside him.
Umaga has had a brief crack at second five-eighth, but was not a howling success.
Yet at centre, the powerful Umaga is regarded highly by as good a judge as former legendary Lions and Welsh winger Gerald Davies.
"He has fine judgment, good hands in attack and seems always to be there when the vital tackle needs to be made," Davies said.
"He invariably makes a big contribution but often goes unnoticed while others on the flimsiest excuse receive an unwarranted amount of praise."
Now, along with Justin Marshall, the grand old man of the All Blacks, Umaga is very much a senior figure in the squad, especially to the fresh faces such as his Hurricanes midfield mate Ma'a Nonu.
His standing within the camp is best illustrated by the fact that he was in the frame for the All Black captaincy before Reuben Thorne was confirmed in the job.
A former junior league international, Umaga had occasion to savour the All Blacks' win over Samoa at the 1999 cup, where he squared off against older brother, Mike.
