Umaga recovers at speed

By WYNNE GRAY

Tana Umaga believes he will recover in time for the World Cup quarter-finals in 11 days, but some of his team-mates have another challenge to overcome - an aversion to skin-tight jerseys.

Umaga felt yesterday that he could start against Wales this weekend, but said that was probably more the reaction of someone who had been sidelined.

"As a player I would always say 'yes,' but probably not at this stage because I have a bit of trouble trying to take off. Just sharpening up is the thing for me at the moment.

"Today I would probably say 'no,' but who knows what it is going to be like tomorrow or the next day. If I was given to Friday, maybe, but that is just me talking."

Umaga said his damaged left knee felt fine yesterday after a 45-minute run at near top speed. He had not favoured it. He had given it the full weight-bearing examination. There had been no problems changing direction.

"I am not a small guy, so I am obviously putting a bit of weight on it," he laughed.

Umaga had not been surprised at his recovery from the rupture to a posterior cruciate ligament, an injury he suffered in the opening game against Italy.

He had been determined and knew the only solution, as soon as the swelling subsided, was to get back into work to reduce the amount of muscle wastage.

He had tried to be positive and his enthusiasm levels had lifted as his mobility returned. Loose-forward Richie McCaw was also putting on a brave show about testing the figure-hugging, cyclist-style jerseys favoured by the backs, but also being used by the entire French, Springboks and England sides.

"It is just little breaks the guys are making ... It has come down to things like that, guys not being able to grab hold of your jersey, so a few of us have seen that and decided to try them out at training," McCaw said.

"They are a bit different to wear, a bit tighter under the arms and everything, but if it means one break for one person in a game it could be the difference.

"I dunno whether I am going to use it. I'll continue to think about it, but it could be worth a try, I think.

"It is not your traditional footy jersey. The biggest thing is getting your head round to wearing it. It doesn't matter what you look like, I guess, as long as they do the job."

His job remained getting to the breakdown first to provide the best quick ball for the backline, especially off set-phase moves.

There have been subtle refereeing changes to adapt to at this tournament. The Southern Hemisphere officials are still a little more lenient than their Northern Hemisphere counterparts, who prefer to stop play and set scrums.

Umaga admired Leon MacDonald's performance against Tonga in his first shot at centre for the All Blacks.

"That is what I suppose is the great and tough thing about this team," Umaga said. "If they are given opportunities, guys will take them and make it harder for those other guys to have another turn."

He also revelled in the Samoan passion in Sunday's match, although he always felt England would win. They absorbed everything and were a quality, experienced team who knew what to do in pressure matches.

McCaw felt any side would have battled to cope with the Samoan onslaught in Melbourne, but he is more concerned about the challenge from Wales, the springboard game into the sudden-death section of the tournament.

The All Blacks have done well in their three matches, but there have been too many mistakes. This weekend is all about accuracy and building further confidence.

That selection will be revealed tomorrow, but McCaw has been training for much of the All Black season as a back-up No 8, a position he could be asked to fill if the loose-forward bench is rejigged because of Rodney So'oialo's error rate. Aaron Mauger has recovered from his injuries and is expected to play.