Umaga pondering comeback

HE’S got much more pressing matters on his mind in the coming days and weeks, but Brian O’Driscoll’s ears are sure to have pricked with the news from the other side of the world his nemesis could be eyeing a sensational return to international rugby.

Tana Umaga, the man who infamously ended O’Driscoll’s Lions captaincy before it truly began back in 2005, refused to rule out an All Blacks return last weekend and yesterday the groundswell of support for an unlikely Test comeback continued to grow.

Umaga, who will be 38 when this year’s Rugby World Cup rolls around in September, hasn’t played international rugby for almost six years.

However after signing on for a return to Super Rugby with the Chiefs and coming through his first trial match with flying colours, Umaga opened the door for what would be an unprecedented return to the top level of the game.

“Those things are out of my hands but if you play well enough, you never know,” said the former Toulon coach, who returned to his homeland to play provincial rugby last year.

“I’ll just try to concentrate on what I’m doing here at the Chiefs and a bit like last year (at Counties Manukau) play well for my team and it’s up to the higher powers to decide what happens. It would take a lot of thinking on my part. It’s up another level altogether, it’s something I’ll have to think about.”