How Tana went from Toulon to Tuakau

BY GREG FORD

It started out as a casual chat between two mates, Duncan Sandlant and Andrew Flexman. Both had met and forged a friendship first as school mates and then while studying law at Canterbury University.

A decade later, they had found themselves on opposite sides of the world, Sandlant in London where he had forged a career as a lawyer and sports agent, Flexman in Auckland, the boss of the New Zealand Rugby Foundation, a charitable trust which cares for seriously-injured former rugby players.

After a bit of friendly banter, naturally enough, their conversation turned to a shared passion: rugby.

Flexman, a straight-shooter on the back of his reputation as a reliable sports administrator, was last October co-opted on to the board of the Counties Manukau Rugby Union.

He mentioned to his mate that Counties was in the market for a tight forward.

The union had looked locally, without luck, and Sandlant said he could not be of much help.

All he had was a midfielder on his books who wanted to return to New Zealand, mentioning as an interesting aside it so happened to be Tana Umaga.

Flexman reported the interesting tidbit to his board and chief executive, Phil McConnell.

"And I must admit my first reaction when I heard the news was, if I could afford him, I would [sign him] but there's no way we could," said McConnell.

"That was my first reaction. My next thought was `boy, maybe there's other ways to skin the cat here'."

Enter Russell Preston.

A few weeks before Flexman's discovery, Counties had asked the local sports trust to run the rule over its operation, hoping to gain fresh insight into how to overcome the union's woes.

Preston, the trust boss, did the review himself, and among his many findings was a suggestion the union, some way, some how sign a marquee player.

"I thought it would create a bit of interest," he said. "If there's interest, the fans come back and so would the sponsors."

Preston's recommendation resonated with the board, and so negotiations opened with Sandlant.

Again, the union wasn't overly optimistic about its chances, but "decided to run with it, to see where it led to".

Remember Counties last year tried to negotiate a financial helping hand from the New Zealand Rugby Union so dire was its fiscal position.

The union boxed on and made it through the year.

But there was no way it had enough cash to pay the kind of salary Umaga could command, or so the South Auckland union thought.

After some to-ing and fro-ing it became evident the former All Blacks captain was grateful that Counties was interested.

He was eager to return home to be closer to relatives on his wife's side of the family, who live in Auckland; so eager that he would strap on his boots again if the union would offer him a job as assistant coach.

At this point, some time in early February, Counties realised it was in with a genuine chance of getting its man.

The union took the liberty of sending him – via a courier – a Counties Manukau rugby jersey in Toulon which he wore last week on national TV.

Key union stakeholders were consulted and Counties decided to table a formal offer, the contract coming in three parts: covering playing, coaching and community obligations.

The fourth, and as it turned out, least crucial element (money), became a non-event.

With the help of a third party funder, Umaga signed on the dotted line last Sunday.

Sandlant said: "It was a bit weird having one of my best mates on the other side of the negotiating table.

"And Tana had from Toulon an offer many times larger than what Couties could pay. But this ticked all the right boxes. He will get help from the NZRU high performance unit to advance his coaching. After two years he can then decide if he wants to go in a different direction."

Counties naturally won't say for how much they signed him.

But reliable sources, eager to convey Umaga's intentions were not motivated by money, confirmed Sandlant's view – it was for a relatively modest amount. "I can't say much, but yes, you are right there is an outside interest that has helped support the signing of Tana," McConnell confirmed.

"I can't say outside parties have sourced all of it because that would be incorrect.

"But there is more than one and at this stage they have asked to remain anonymous and that is the way it will remain."

The union, which encompasses south Auckland working class suburbs such as Manurewa and Papakura as well as well-to-do parts of rural Pukekohe, has some wealthy men on its board and instead of a white knight backer riding to the rescue, it's believed funds have been channelled into the union's coffers via existing sponsorship deals.

"Come along and see who is floating around the stadium this year and read into that what you like" said McConnell.

"We very grateful for their support and they know who they are. "

Counties Manukau Sport categorically deny it stumped up cash to get the deal done.

Although the union is expected to apply to the charitable trust, which promotes sport in the region, for assistance to help schools and club rugby, Preston said: "It wasn't us."

Umaga's arrival date depends on when his obligations in the south of France end.

And it won't be until he arrives – probably in mid-June – that the finer details of his community work will he defined.

"We have agreed to some broad philosophies around it," said McConnell.

"We don't want to load up his days with 20 hours of community work so that when it comes time to play he is knackered.

"But he is really keen to get involved in the community.

"That was a big part in his decision to come. Counties Manukau Sport have given some good advice on how to best make that happen. And you also have to remember Counties have been in this boat with Jonah [Lomu]."

- © Fairfax NZ News