Tana Umaga: Up Close. This item is unavailable.Tana Umaga: Up Close

Recently retired All Blacks captain Tana Umaga is one of the most respected players in world rugby. As the first player of Samoan heritage to captain the All Blacks in test rugby, his story is unique. One of the proudest players ever to wear the famous black jersey, Umaga became an inspirational captain - a man adored by both his team-mates and public alike.In his biography, Umaga will talk of his great love of the All Blacks; of the many highs and lows he has experienced in his 10-year career at the top, and will not shirk the controversial moments in his career - including THAT tackle on Lions centre and captain Brian O'Driscoll. In 2003, he became the first New Zealander to receive the Pierre de Coubertin Trophy for Fair Play for attending to the injured Colin Charvis of Wales during a Test at Hamilton. In 2005 he brought up 100 Super 12 caps with the Hurricanes. He has been the Hurricanes and Wellington Lions skipper and an inspirational leader. He is the fourth most capped All Black (70 tests) in history, sitting behind Christian Cullen, Jeff Wilson, Jonah Lomu and Doug Howlett in the All Blacks' test try-scoring stakes.Acknowledged as one of the hardest tacklers in the game (he is a former junior international at rugby league) he made a successful transition to a Test centre at the end of 2000 after playing his first 18 Tests on the wing.

Paul Thomas has worked in journalism and public relations in New Zealand, England, France and Australia and is now a full-time writer in Wellington. He has written a number of acclaimed sports books: Christmas In Rarotonga with cricketing great John Wright, Running On Instinct with All Blacks legend John Kirwan and Straight From The Hart and Change of Hart with former All Blacks coach John Hart. He has also written five novels, including the ground-breaking trilogy of New Zealand-based crime novels, Old School Tie, Inside Dope and Guerrilla Season. Inside Dope won the Crime Writers' Association of Australia's Ned Kelly Award for best crime novel. His fiction has been widely published and translated into several languages.