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'Lot of work trying to make sure he doesn't make the same mistake'

By Liam Heagney
(Photo by Zac Goodwin/PA Images via Getty Images)

Lee Blackett has given his assessment on how Jacob Umaga has responded after getting red carded in two consecutive games during the winter for Wasps. The one-cap England prospect was originally suspended for the Gallagher Premiership red card he received on Boxing Day for a dangerous tackle on Ollie Hassell-Collins of London Irish.

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Umaga was given a three-match ban following that sending-off and was set to sit out the European game versus Toulouse in January. However, the successful completion of a World Rugby tackle school intervention shaved the last week off that suspension, freeing the 23-year-old to be chosen at full-back by Wasps for their Heineken Champions Cup tie. 

That return didn’t go to plan, however, as Umaga was red-carded six minutes before the interval for clattering into visiting scrum-half Martin Page-Relo, an incident that resulted in an even heftier four-week ban. 

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The youngster is now back in action for his club, starting for Wasps in seven recent matches, five wearing the No15 shirt and another two as the starting No10, and this Sunday he will provide cover from the bench for the visit to London Irish in the Premiership.

That is a lot of confidence-restoring minutes on the pitch, so how does Wasps boss Blackett rate the form of Umaga and his attitude in putting the consecutive red cards behind him? “Like anyone Jacob just wants to play, so he was frustrated,” explained Blackett when asked by RugbyPass. 

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“He did a lot of work on his technique trying to make sure he doesn’t make the same mistake. I saw something with Shaun Edwards the other day where he said about the players, it’s that split last-second decision and it is the difference between a red card and a good tackle now. He got a couple wrong, didn’t he, and as a result spent a fair amount of time on the sideline, but I have been happy with him coming back at 15. It gives us another pivot in the backline, a decision-maker, so I have been really pleased where he has come back and how he has come back.”

For a young player with hopefully a long career ahead of him at Wasps, the adversity of those red cards will surely in time become a positive learning experience for Umaga. “It’s the same for any young guy coming through, you are going to have to deal with setbacks, that is what happens. 

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“You are going to have to deal with dips in form, you are going to have to deal nowadays – as Jacob found out -with being suspended and being frustrated and coming into training and not having any end product in playing at the weekend. Look, I have been pleased with how Jacob has come through. You can’t forget how young he is still and I’m sure there will be some things he is going to have to learn from in the future but we have been really happy with the form since he returned.”

Umaga was the Wasps star at out-half during their run to the Gallagher Premiership final in 2019/20, but the even younger Charlie Atkinson has been the club’s preferred No10 in many of its recent games, leaving Umaga to start more at No15. 

“He played a lot of his junior stuff at full-back, played a lot of his stuff when he went to the Championship at full-back and when he went over to New Zealand, so it is not something that is completely new,” continued Blackett. 

“With a lot of modern-day tens as well, they defend a lot in the backfield so you quite often find with a lot of teams the tens and the 15s are in the backfield. That is not new. It’s probably just where he finds himself at the end of the line in attack sometimes and for us having that second playmaker out there has added a difference definitely to our edge attack.”

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Trevor 2 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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Bull Shark 6 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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