Umaga-Jensen called up to AB training squad

Young Hurricanes dynamo centre Peter Umaga-Jensen is one step closer to following in uncle Tana’s tracks after his call-up to the squad as cover for teammate Ngani Laumape who is still nursing a broken arm.

Umaga-Jensen has been very difficult to ignore, both in the recent Super Rugby Aotearoa competition as well as the Mitre 10 Cup.

As things stand, the 22 year old will train with the All Black squad this week, then be released to turn out for Wellington when they meet Otago on the weekend, should nothing serious occur with Laumape.

“He’s got a smile on his face so that’s a good place to start,” said head coach Ian Foster of Umaga-Jensen.  “In the second part of Super Rugby Aotearoa he had a massive desire to play. He was strong with ball in hand and ran some great lines and he beat some very good defenders. Jack [Goodhue] and Alby [Lienert-Brown] both found him quite a handful with some of the lines he ran.

“We’ve seen a real attitude with his work rate and he’s grown in his defence. He’s a young guy who had a lot of potential when he came out of school then probably plateaued a little bit.

“He’s now learning what it is to work hard and be a little bit more professional off the park. The Hurricanes have done a great job in that space and what we saw when he got the opportunity is someone who is ready to go. That’s the kind of energy we want him to bring in here.”