NEW Zealand rugby union captain Tana Umaga has retired from the international arena after playing 74 Tests, citing family reasons. "I want to spend more time with my family, and I just believe I sacrificed a lot of time with my family to wear the black jersey," Umaga said today. "I did that willingly but now it's time for me to sacrifice something and give it back to my family." All Blacks coach Graham Henry said he was sad and disappointed by the decision of his skipper but agreed with his reasons. "I think its a reflection on Tana's strength as a person and development as a person that he's got his priorities right," Henry said. "This day is a special day, I think This is one of the great All Blacks and he's retiring from the game. "He was great as a player, he was very brave, led from the front, a fine defender, a huge determination to win, one of the great All Black captains." Umaga, 32, had been the subject of specualation since the All Blacks completed their grand slam tour of Britain and Ireland last November, with British media reporting earlier this week that English clubs Harlequins and Leicester Tigers had expressed strong interest in signing the Kiwi. Indeed, it emerged today that Umaga told teammates after the Scotland Test on the grand slam tour that he had played his last match in the black jersey - but asked them to keep quiet so he could tell his family on his return to New Zealand. It also emerged that he first broached the possibility of retirement with Henry in June last year, but the coach persuaded him the prospect of the grand slam - only the All Blacks' second in a century - was too good to miss. Umaga assumed the Test captaincy in 2004, under the stewardship of Henry, and his side last year enjoyed one of the best seasons in New Zealand rugby history - claiming the grand slam against England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland after Bledisloe Cup and Tri-Nations victories and a 3-0 series win against the British and Irish Lions, Umaga first played representative rugby career with Wellington in the 1994 New Zealand provincial championship (NPC) after playing rugby league - including a stint for the New Zealand Under-19 team. He said today that he would continue to play Super 14 rugby for the Hurricanes, and for Wellington Lions in the NPC. He will rejoin the Hurricanes squad later this month in preparation for the coming season. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 前一陣子的新聞了.新隊長確定由McCaw擔任 看到這個消息真的哭了 雖然我不是忠誠的ABs fan 但是Tana絕對是我心中偉大的球員 2007 World Cup 沒有Tana.真的很難過 再也看不到Tana領著ABs跳戰舞了O_Q --

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