Blues appoint All Blacks performance analyst as their new assistant coach, the first surprise of Tana Umaga's fledgling reign at the franchise.

Tana Umaga will be impressing upon his Counties Manukau Steelers this week the importance of treating rugby as an 80-, not 75-minute game.

In the second exclusive extract from his new autobiography, Jerome Kaino explains how he bounced back from his 2008 drink-driving conviction.

He's one of the toughest men to pull on an All Black jersey ... and he's humble, nice and has a smile like a sunbeam.

Tana Umaga faces a mammoth task in resuscitating the Blues, but Gregor Paul believes he can do it.

Whatever occurred, Tana Umaga will benefit most from coaching the Blues without any interference from John Kirwan, writes Wynne Gray.

Tana Umaga, the new head coach at the Blues, says he would have worked with John Kirwan and was negotiating a contract on that basis before Kirwan suddenly quit last Friday.

Tana Umaga has been handed the job to try to resurrect the Blues.

He left a mess at the Blues for someone else to clean up but has the audacity to announce the franchise is heading in right direction, writes Chris Rattue.

Should Jerome Kaino get the all-clear in the next 10 days to resume playing, it might be a wise idea to stand back as there is a bit of pent-up frustration within him.

In today's short-attention-span, reality TV world, results are everything and it cannot be denied Kirwan did not bring them in.

The New Zealand under-20s, Blues, Tana Umaga and All Blacks, in a curious way, are all inter-connected.

Patrick McKendry writes: A new coach at the Blues, then, but will that bring about significant change?

The Blues coaches and their records with the team through the years.

John Kirwan has described Tana Umaga as a "fantastic" candidate for his former head coach's role at the Blues.

Blues coach describes decision to step down as a "big moment" in his life: "I love this club [but] I think it's time for someone else to take over the reins."

The Blues' latest plan to solve their coaching crisis by appointing Tana Umaga could put NZR in an even more awkward position.

Should the Blues should be granted a larger budget than everyone else to mitigate Auckland's higher cost of living, asks Gregor Paul.

Exclusive: The Blues have targeted former All Blacks captain Tana Umaga as the key to helping them out of their coaching crisis.

A winning ratio around 35 per cent across three seasons is not job retention collateral, writes Wynne Gray.

A miserable season for the Blues has limped to a predictable conclusion after they were thrashed by the Highlanders tonight.