Tana in doubt for Sharks clash

2005-03-08 12:18

Jim Kayes

Cape Town - Tana Umaga rejoins the Hurricanes in Durban under an injury cloud after he limped off during last weekend's tsunami relief fundraiser in London. Coach Colin Cooper had not spoken to his skipper in the aftermath of the 45-32 win at Ellis Park, so he was unsure if he was seriously hurt in the southern hemisphere's 54-19 win against the north at Twickenham.

But there was little panic in the Hurricanes over the plight of their often inspirational captain as they had just shown that they can survive without him.

While Tane Tu'ipulotu was not quite in Umaga's class at centre, his performance was solid enough in his first start in a competition match since last year's Super 12.

Equally, stand-in skipper Rodney So'oialo's captaincy was superb and showed how much he has developed both as a player and a person.

When the Hurricanes were down 7-0 after 13 minutes So'oialo kept his young troops calm and when the Cats rallied in the second half to close the Hurricanes lead he ensured they hit back.

"It just shows the maturity of the group," Cooper said of the way the Hurricanes kept their heads in an often frantic match before 20 015 screaming South Africans. "Rodney has huge respect and he really led from the front."

Significant victory

"We learnt some hard lessons with our leadership last year. Tana was like a Lone Ranger, but now these guys are stepping up and taking a leadership role."

Scrumhalf Piri Weepu, who grew up in Umaga's shadow in Wainuiomata, agreed winning in South Africa without his boyhood hero was significant.

"He is a big influence in the team and a lot of people think he carries the team. So it was good to do it without him."

It is not the first time the Hurricanes have won without Umaga, since the veteran of 92 games in the Super 12 assumed the captaincy when Cooper took over as coach in 2003.

They beat the Cats 42-25 in Wellington last year when Umaga was out with a hamstring injury. He also missed the 21-20 loss to the Sharks a week later and the 26-26 draw with the Blues - the Hurricanes' best result ever against the Auckland-based team.

But to win in South Africa, and at Ellis Park in particular, without Umaga was special.

So'oialo sidestepped any personal recognition and said the early season success of the side was because of the players' fitness, and the unity within the squad. "The team spirit is just one of the things we've been building from last year. You can tell it's there."

- Rugby Heaven