Tana Umaga

ROLE Head Coach

TEAM Moana Pasifika

IN CHARGE SINCE Jan 2024

AGE 53

NATIONALITY New Zealander

MATCHES 28

Tana Umaga is the head coach of Moana Pasifika, the first Samoan-heritage All Blacks captain, leading the franchise through its final season.

AS A PLAYER Wing and centre. 74 caps and 36 tries for New Zealand between 1997 and 2005, captaining the side 21 times. Played for Petone, Wellington, the Hurricanes, Counties Manukau, the Chiefs and Toulon.

Tenure record

as of 30 May 2026

28PLAYED

8WON

0DRAWN

20LOST

28.6%WIN RATE

681 points scored · 1111 conceded · -430 difference

RECENT WBrumbies21–19 LQueensland Reds31–33 LHurricanes17–50 LBlues19–45 LHighlanders17–27 LNSW Waratahs14–29

By competition

Super Rugby Pacific 28P · 8W · 0D · 20L

OPPONENT H/A SCORE RESULT

Brumbies 30 May 2026 A 21–19 W Queensland Reds 23 May 2026 H 31–33 L Hurricanes 9 May 2026 H 17–50 L Blues 2 May 2026 H 19–45 L Highlanders 26 Apr 2026 A 17–27 L NSW Waratahs 17 Apr 2026 A 14–29 L Gallagher Chiefs 11 Apr 2026 H 17–62 L Highlanders 27 Mar 2026 H 19–39 L Crusaders 21 Mar 2026 H 21–50 L Blues 15 Mar 2026 A 7–43 L Gallagher Chiefs 6 Mar 2026 A 24–57 L Western Force 27 Feb 2026 H 19–35 L Hurricanes 20 Feb 2026 A 10–52 L Fijian Drua 14 Feb 2026 A 40–26 W Hurricanes 31 May 2025 A 12–64 L Gallagher Chiefs 24 May 2025 A 7–85 L Blues 17 May 2025 H 27–21 W Highlanders 4 May 2025 A 34–29 W Fijian Drua 26 Apr 2025 H 34–15 W Brumbies 19 Apr 2025 H 0–24 L Blues 12 Apr 2025 A 17–36 L NSW Waratahs 5 Apr 2025 H 45–28 W Crusaders 29 Mar 2025 A 45–29 W Gallagher Chiefs 21 Mar 2025 H 35–50 L Hurricanes 8 Mar 2025 H 40–31 W Highlanders 28 Feb 2025 H 29–31 L Queensland Reds 21 Feb 2025 A 36–56 L Western Force 15 Feb 2025 A 44–45 L

DATA NOTES

Tana Umaga has overseen 28 completed Moana Pasifika matches in our database since February 2025 — 8 won, 0 drawn, 20 lost. That is a 28.6% win rate, with 681 points scored and 1111 conceded.

Records are computed from the WeTalkRugby match database and cover matches we hold data for within this tenure. They are not an official all-time record.

Coaching career

2012-2015 Counties Manukau Head Coach
2016-2018 Blues Head Coach
2021-2023 Samoa Assistant Coach
2024- Moana Pasifika Head Coach

Honours

2013 Ranfurly Shield (Counties Manukau)
2012 ITM Cup Championship (Counties Manukau)

Players under Tana Umaga

Full squad →

Abraham Pole Forward Augustine Pulu Back Ale Aho Forward Denzel Samoa Back Allan Craig Forward Faletoi Peni Back Atu Moli Forward Glen Vaihu Back Chris Apoua Forward Israel Leota Back Dominic Ropeti Forward Jackson Garden-Bachop Back

About Tana Umaga

Fa’alogo Tana Umaga is the head coach of Moana Pasifika, in charge since the 2024 season. He leads the franchise through what will be its final campaign: New Zealand Rugby confirmed in June 2026 that the licence will not be transferred and the club will not play in 2027.

Born in Lower Hutt in May 1973, he was one of the defining players of his generation — a wing turned centre who won 74 All Blacks caps and scored 36 tries. He became the first player of Samoan heritage to captain New Zealand, leading them in 21 Tests including the 2005 series whitewash of the British & Irish Lions. He spent most of his Super Rugby career at the Hurricanes and later played at Toulon.

Coaching

He began coaching at Toulon while still playing, then returned home to Counties Manukau, where as head coach from 2012 he won a championship-division title and the Ranfurly Shield. He was Blues head coach from 2016 to 2018, a difficult spell that never translated his attacking philosophy into results, and served as a Manu Samoa assistant through the 2023 World Cup.

Moana Pasifika

Appointed on a three-year deal from 2024, he is the most successful coach in the franchise’s short history, lifting them close to finals contention in 2025 while adding defensive structure to a squad built on natural expansiveness. He leaves after the 2026 season to join the All Blacks as defence coach.