Umaga keen to return this weekend

Tana Umaga

Tana Umaga says he's ready for a return to Super 14 this weekend after playing a club match on Saturday.

Umaga trained with the Hurricanes in Wellington yesterday and is set to be named in the playing 22 for the Easter Sunday match against the Highlanders in Dunedin.

He hasn't played in the Super 14 since tearing a knee ligament against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on March 5.

"I've been training a lot, trying to get my knee right, and that's coming along well," Umaga said. "I'm keen to play. Now I've just got to wait if my name's read out."

Umaga made his rugby comeback from a five-week break for his Wellington club Petone on Saturday.

He played the last 35 minutes off the bench and came through strongly in their 31-5 win over Old Boys-University.

While Umaga is likely to take the field in Dunedin, it may just be from the bench as he regains full fitness.

Hurricanes coach Colin Cooper said Umaga's presence was huge for his fourth-placed team as they come off the bye.

"Just having him back, with his knowledge, what he does and the belief that he'll give the group," Cooper said.

Umaga retired from international rugby in December and declined the Hurricanes' captaincy this year.

The visitors might be the favourites going into the Dunedin match but the Highlanders have won three of the last four contests between the sides, including the last two in a row.

Umaga also has painful memories of Hurricanes matches at Carisbrook after he was sent off for a high tackle in the 2000 match which his team lost 19-35.

"I've changed my tackling style since then. I don't think I've been penalised for any of those again," he said with a grin.

- NZPA