Source: Radio New Zealand
Moana Pasifika coach Tana Umaga was still not happy after losing to the Blues. Photosport
The Blues didn’t engage in the war of words, but they were merciless when it came to battle.
The Blues battered their cross-city rivals to reclaim 09 bragging rights, with an emphatic 43-7 victory in Auckland on Sunday afternoon.
Despite the one-sided scoreline and apparent one-sided feud, Moana Pasifika coach Tana Umaga stands by his scathing assessment of the franchise.
“I don’t know why we wouldn’t stand by those when it’s what’s actually happening,” he said. “Because we lost, it doesn’t detract from the fact that was the facts.”
The former All Blacks captain let loose on the Blues earlier in the week, stating they didn’t want Moana Pasifika in Auckland, and alleging they even tried to block them from playing in Northland and South Auckland.
Blues coach Vern Cotter has not responded directly to Umaga’s comments.
“That’s outside, today was just a game,” he said. “It was about the players on the paddock.
“We have a massive amount of respect for them as a team, we will take this win and just move forward.”
Blues skipper Dalton Papali’i concurred with his coach.
“Tana was a Blues man once, and I have a lot of respect for him and his players. Whatever happens up in the offices, that’s none of my concern.”
Umaga also questioned the officiating during his side’s loss, after Moana saw two tries disallowed, which would have seen them take a half-time lead.
The first saw Lalomilo Lalomilo ruled offside from a lineout, while the second was scrubbed, after interference at the scrum.
“Some pretty tough calls in general, we’ll have another look at those,” Umaga said. “There’s a bit of contention whether he was off the scrum and initiated the contact, and the one coming off the lineout, that was a tough one.”
Umaga felt the decisions were a microcosm of greater issues in Super Rugby Pacific.
“We probably have to ask ourselves the question, as a game, are we looking for reasons not to score tries? What kind of game do we want to have?”
Umaga feared over-adjudication would frustrate audiences.
“We can’t be complacent in rugby in this country,” he said. “We’ve got to do all we can to make sure the product we are putting out there is something people want to see.”
One call Umaga did not take issue with was the red card issued to halfback Augustine Pulu for his swinging arm on opposite Sam Nock.
“That did harm us, to play half an hour with 14 players, but when we had 14 men, we seemed to have a lot more urgency.”
While Moana Pasifika took confidence into the sheds at halftime – trailing by just eight – discipline continued to plague them and they were penalised right from the restart.
“We couldn’t build any positive moments,” Umaga said. “It was hard to change momentum around.”
Umaga will likely have plenty to take his mind off his beef with the Blues, confirming New Zealand Rugby had approached him about joining Dave Rennie’s All Blacks coaching group.
“I’ll figure those out after today.”
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
