Jacob Umaga

Forum to discuss everything that is Tigers related

Moderators: Tigerbeat, Rizzo, Tigers Press Office, Tigers Webmaster

sammy
Gold Member
Gold Member
Posts: 1083
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 5:53 pm
Location: Hinckley

Jacob Umaga

Post by sammy »

BIttySmalls
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 110
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2014 11:35 am

Re: Jacob Umaga

Post by BIttySmalls »

That's strange, I was just reading this about him being hunted by the Hurricanes.

http://www.talkingrugbyunion.co.uk/rugb ... /15474.htm

It would be a shame to lose him to a Premiership rival.
RagingBull
Super User
Super User
Posts: 13210
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 12:54 pm

Re: Jacob Umaga

Post by RagingBull »

It was mention on the rumours thread.

I had heard either Bath or wasps had offer him a lot of money compared to our offer, and I wasn't the only one to have heard this.

Turns out Wasps won the race.

Honestly if @ 17 they have no strong desire to want to play for Tigers regardless of Talent they can go.

Not like losing Ford.
darganj
Bronze Member
Bronze Member
Posts: 350
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2005 1:59 pm

Re: Jacob Umaga

Post by darganj »

RagingBull wrote:It was mention on the rumours thread.

I had heard either Bath or wasps had offer him a lot of money compared to our offer, and I wasn't the only one to have heard this.

Turns out Wasps won the race.

Honestly if @ 17 they have no strong desire to want to play for Tigers regardless of Talent they can go.

Not like losing Ford.
Corinthian values went out of fashion in 1997 in Rugby. If you want top quality, you pay top quality rates and that kid is top quality.
RagingBull
Super User
Super User
Posts: 13210
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 12:54 pm

Re: Jacob Umaga

Post by RagingBull »

darganj wrote:
RagingBull wrote:It was mention on the rumours thread.

I had heard either Bath or wasps had offer him a lot of money compared to our offer, and I wasn't the only one to have heard this.

Turns out Wasps won the race.

Honestly if @ 17 they have no strong desire to want to play for Tigers regardless of Talent they can go.

Not like losing Ford.
Corinthian values went out of fashion in 1997 in Rugby. If you want top quality, you pay top quality rates and that kid is top quality.
Not at that age, Rugby is not football no matter how agents will try and spin it.

Paying top dollar for someone yet to play U20 rugby is not the wisest of things esp when you have a budget to uphold.

TBD what do you think?
strawclearer
Super User
Super User
Posts: 4109
Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2013 11:13 am

Re: Jacob Umaga

Post by strawclearer »

RagingBull wrote:
darganj wrote:
RagingBull wrote:It was mention on the rumours thread.

I had heard either Bath or wasps had offer him a lot of money compared to our offer, and I wasn't the only one to have heard this.

Turns out Wasps won the race.

Honestly if @ 17 they have no strong desire to want to play for Tigers regardless of Talent they can go.

Not like losing Ford.
Corinthian values went out of fashion in 1997 in Rugby. If you want top quality, you pay top quality rates and that kid is top quality.
Not at that age, Rugby is not football no matter how agents will try and spin it.

Paying top dollar for someone yet to play U20 rugby is not the wisest of things esp when you have a budget to uphold.

TBD what do you think?
I'm probably being hugely naive but, at his age and stage of development, should money really be the main issue for him?

I'm surprised he's passing up the opportunity to train under a Head Coach who was an All Black (45 tests) and a Coach with the Crusaders; an assistant backs coach at Canterbury as well as with the Crusaders; and the country's most decorated player who went on to make 322 appearances, scoring 93 tries and 691 points for the Tigers - as well as playing with and learning from a current Australian international who also plays 10/12. (Oh - and Anthony Allen for whom I don't have enough superlatives!)

I'm not sure the Pests can come close to offering that...can they?
Happy days clearing straw from the pitch before the Baa-Baas games! KBO
Wear a Mask>Protect The NHS>Save Lives
Flawborough
New Member
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Mar 29, 2016 2:40 pm

Re: Jacob Umaga

Post by Flawborough »

I could not agree more with the last comment. Working with all that experience has to be worth more than financial reward at such a young age.
The Boy Dave
Gold Member
Gold Member
Posts: 1787
Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2011 11:40 pm

Re: Jacob Umaga

Post by The Boy Dave »

At the end of the day he has made his choice and not much anyone else can do about it.
What the reasons are is anyone's guess, I suspect money and perhaps he fancies what other benefits they have to offer, Wasps do have quite a decent looking senior academy group which would be an attraction in itself.
I recall he did play rugby league for Coventry Bears as a youngster and was one of the few state schooled kids to come in from Kenilworth I think?
I'm as sure as I can be that Tigers would've liked to have retained him and tried their best.
He's obviously very talented but not the only talented player in the world, and he has a way to go to be the finished article, with a name like Umaga though you wouldn't bet against it.
I actually know that age group very well and thought those in the loop made a proper hash of things.
They missed or just completely overlooked quite a few local young Genge/McGuigan/Moody type characters who with pro development could've been very special.
Umaga was one of the few they got right IMO.
Cheery chappy
RagingBull
Super User
Super User
Posts: 13210
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 12:54 pm

Re: Jacob Umaga

Post by RagingBull »

Interesting that Tana has two more nephews at U20 rugby one is in the NZ setup Peter Umaga-Jenson, his twin Thomas isn't though.
tigercaspian
Gold Member
Gold Member
Posts: 1282
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2010 9:56 pm

Re: Jacob Umaga

Post by tigercaspian »

The Boy Dave wrote:At the end of the day he has made his choice and not much anyone else can do about it.
What the reasons are is anyone's guess, I suspect money and perhaps he fancies what other benefits they have to offer, Wasps do have quite a decent looking senior academy group which would be an attraction in itself.
I recall he did play rugby league for Coventry Bears as a youngster and was one of the few state schooled kids to come in from Kenilworth I think?
I'm as sure as I can be that Tigers would've liked to have retained him and tried their best.
He's obviously very talented but not the only talented player in the world, and he has a way to go to be the finished article, with a name like Umaga though you wouldn't bet against it.
I actually know that age group very well and thought those in the loop made a proper hash of things.
They missed or just completely overlooked quite a few local young Genge/McGuigan/Moody type characters who with pro development could've been very special.
Umaga was one of the few they got right IMO.
If he played over that way, perhaps he thought 'I'm from there, I'll go back there' particularly as you say TBD that Wasps have a strong senior academy grouping?
It's also possible he and his family looked at Wasps being on the up at the moment , whereas we are nowhere further forward than the last two seasons results-wise??
Hot_Charlie
Super User
Super User
Posts: 4041
Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2005 9:30 pm
Location: Lincoln

Re: Jacob Umaga

Post by Hot_Charlie »

Perhaps he sees the move as a slide up the pecking order, particularly with Lozowski moving on to Sarries opening up a hole perhaps; at best he'd be 4th or 5th in the WR pecking order for next season at least, if not longer.
Knightonian
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 325
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 11:17 pm

Re: Jacob Umaga

Post by Knightonian »

It's an interesting decision and one which can influence his whole career.

Moving to NZ as a back I would have understood and I can even understand a bit moving to the pests.

However, it does tell me that when he was growing up he didn't always want to be a tiger.

If he had you would hope he would have given it a little more time and opportunity.

I suppose that's it he's chosen to be a pest which is only slightly better than going to the Stains
4071
Super User
Super User
Posts: 2702
Joined: Tue Jun 15, 2004 11:21 am
Location: London

Re: Jacob Umaga

Post by 4071 »

Not really a surprising move, given that it's been predicted over the last few years that Leicester's reputation for developing players has been fading fast and that this would be a consequence.

There's no longer anything Tigers can offer talented young players ahead of other, more successful clubs. So instead of trading on our (former) reputation for creating international-class players and being a place where players can reach their peak, we can only offer money.

Once we're in a shoot-out over money against richer clubs then we're going to be losing the best young players. Simple as that.
Roly
Super User
Super User
Posts: 2351
Joined: Tue Jan 12, 2010 4:02 pm

Re: Jacob Umaga

Post by Roly »

4071 wrote:Not really a surprising move, given that it's been predicted over the last few years that Leicester's reputation for developing players has been fading fast and that this would be a consequence.

There's no longer anything Tigers can offer talented young players ahead of other, more successful clubs. So instead of trading on our (former) reputation for creating international-class players and being a place where players can reach their peak, we can only offer money.

Once we're in a shoot-out over money against richer clubs then we're going to be losing the best young players. Simple as that.
I would echo that.

As a young player with a choice between a team demonstrably improving and a team running round like headless chickens, I know which one I'd go to.
“It is no use saying, ‘We are doing our best.’ You have got to succeed in doing what is necessary.” Sir Winston Churchill.
Noddy555
Super User
Super User
Posts: 2823
Joined: Sat Aug 24, 2013 9:32 pm

Re: Jacob Umaga

Post by Noddy555 »

Yet another example of possibly losing a fine young player through lack of first class rugby. Tigers like other clubs have got to seriously address this issue or the talent will once again drift away to Europe or the Southern Hemisphere. Whether this is by an expansion of the "A" league system or by adopting or taking over a club lower down in the system echelon.
Post Reply