Rugby: Tana might play centre

All Black winger Tana Umaga seems certain to run at centre for Wellington in Friday night's NPC rugby semifinal against Auckland if Alama Ieremia's hamstring problem does not cure itself quickly.

But Wellington coach David Rennie said he was prepared to wait until tomorrow's training session at Eden Park in Auckland to see if Ieremia had recovered sufficiently.

Ieremia was hopeful. "I have to give myself a chance of making it," he said.

"I've waited nine years for Wellington to make a semifinal and I don't want to miss this.

"At this stage I would rate my chances as not too bad."

Ieremia tweaked his right hamstring last week and then hurt it again against Waikato.

"I didn't want to come off, to be honest, but I quickly decided I would do more harm to the team by staying on."

And, he said with a wry grin, it was the right thing to do "because the boys started putting the points on."

He had ice on the injury all weekend.

Umaga linked with Jason O'Halloran in the midfield at training yesterday, with Paul Steinmetz spending time in the reserves.

- NZPA