All Blacks defence coach Tana Umaga.
All Blacks stand-in captain Patrick Tuipulotu says the influence of defence coach Tana Umaga remains as strong as ever, with the World Cup-winning former captain continuing to guide the squad through the tough moments ahead of Friday night's Rugby's Greatest Rivalry tour opener against the Stormers at DHL Stadium.
Umaga, who captained New Zealand in 21 of his 74 Tests, joined Dave Rennie's coaching staff earlier this year and has quickly become a trusted voice within the group, according to Tuipulotu, who will lead the All Blacks on Friday while regular captain Ardie Savea is rested.
"I think you look at the experience he's had in terms of being a captain and the amount of games he's played, and a lot of those games are pretty gnarly, tough games, especially against the Springboks," Tuipulotu said. "He's always been that voice for a lot of us coming up through Super Rugby, especially for myself, and to have him here in the All Blacks set-up, that hasn't changed."
The 33-year-old, who has 57 caps to his name, added that Umaga's fingerprints are already visible on the side's defensive structure heading into a series long defined by its physicality. "I know his impact in terms of our defence is very strong, and I think his voice in the back, it'll help us along if we need it, especially in those tough times."
