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Former All Black captain Tana Umaga was yesterday handed his old job and a new role all at the same press conference at struggling French club Toulon.
Toulon's individualistic owner Mourad Boudjallel has found a way to sack Tana Umaga as coach and yet keep him at the club next season. But before then, he will be asked to put on his playing boots once again and inspire the club's fight against the relegation threat Umaga as a coach has led them into this season.
Toulon has sunk to joint bottom place in the French Top 14 and the risk of immediate relegation to Division 2. Boudjallel brought coaching consultants to the club, including Australian John Connolly and South Africa's World Cup winner Jake White, to advise him on where Toulon has gone wrong this season after just three wins in their first 15 league games.
Connolly lasted only 48 hours and left, unable to get on with Umaga, the owner's favourite recruit. White spent a little longer but highlighted the disadvantages of a grossly over-staffed playing squad which is well into the 40s.
Boudjallel has pondered his options ever since but his solution, announced yesterday, took most people by surprise. It was known that Sale Sharks' French coach Philippe Saint-Andre, the old French international wing, would take over as coach next season.
But Umaga is to be retained to become club manager, working alongside Saint-Andre in the same way that New Zealander Vern Cotter and former Clermont-Auvergne international Jean-Marc Lhermet operate with the Top 14 French Championship club.
Cynics might suggest the phrase "you couldn't make it up" would be appropriate but Boudjallel outlined his philosophy and reasons for restoring Umaga as a player in the following words: "Tana has trained for two months with the group and will rejoin the team when he is ready. Tana is a natural leader and the team has enormous respect for him.
"I said before our defeat against Dax that I was totally responsible for the errors in recruitment and that I would find an idea, a solution. Now, I have found that idea. Philippe Saint-Andre will be president of the 'Sportif Delegue' charged notably with recruitment and structures at the club. He will work in close collaboration with Tana Umaga."
Boudjallel has ploughed millions of euros into the club, bringing in high profile players like Jerry Collins, Australian Matt Henjak, Italian Ramiro Pez, South African Joe van Niekerk, league star Sonny Bill Williams and many others. In almost every case, without conspicuous success, Van Niekerk excepted. But as if undaunted by a disastrous recruitment policy, Boudjallel promptly announced three more recruits.
South African Conrad Barnard, who will be 30 in July, arrives from the Cheetahs while halfback Pierre Mignoni, 32 next month, and prop Laurent Emmanuelli, also 32, both join from ASM Clermont-Auvergne. Sale Sharks French hooker Sebastien Bruno, who will be 35 in August, has also been signed up. Presumably, all four represent Toulon's youth policy.
The financial cost of relegation would be disastrous for Toulon and Boudjallel who has said whatever happens, he may stay only three years at the club. For a man who made his millions out of comic books, Boudjallel has certainly offered critics plenty of material for comedy this season. Toulon face a critical home match against Mont-de-Marsan, joint bottom of the Top 14, this weekend.
* Peter Bills is a rugby writer for Independent News & Media in London
