c4233e41c25f75978fa4192d8d95730bca89b7c8.txt Jacob Umaga

Jacob Umaga

Jacob Umaga
Birth nameJacob Ionatana Falefasa Umaga
Date of birth (1998-07-08) 8 July 1998 (age 26)
Place of birthHalifax, West Yorkshire, England
Height1.82 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Weight91 kg (14 st 5 lb; 201 lb)
SchoolKenilworth School
Notable relative(s)Mike Umaga (father)
Tana Umaga (uncle)
Thomas Umaga-Jensen (cousin)
Peter Umaga-Jensen (cousin)
Jerry Collins (cousin-once-removed)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fly-half
Current team Benetton
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2016–2022 Wasps 72 (379)
2016 → Hinckley(loan) 11 (25)
2016-17 → Broadstreet(loan) ()
2019 → Yorkshire Carnegie(loan) 5 (24)
2018 Auckland 9 (2)
2022− Benetton 14 (67)
2016– Total 84 (373)
Correct as of 2 April 2023
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2016
2017
2021		 England U18
England U20
England		 14
8
1		 (30)
(22)
(0)
Correct as of 4 July 2021

Jacob Umaga (born 8 July 1998) is an English professional rugby union player who plays at fly-half for Italian United Rugby Championship side Benetton.[1][2]

Early life

Umaga was born in Halifax.[3] His father, Mike Umaga, won 13 caps for Samoa, his uncle Tana Umaga played 74 times for New Zealand and captained the All Blacks, and his father's cousin was the late Jerry Collins.[3][4]

Umaga was educated at Kenilworth School and Sports College and played youth rugby for Kenilworth RFC.[5] He supports rugby league team Bradford Bulls.[6]

Club career

Umaga was originally a member of the Leicester Tigers academy but left to join Wasps at the age of eighteen.[7] He represented Hinckley RFC in National League 2 North during the 2016–17 campaign scoring five tries in eleven appearances, including an individual try at Preston Grasshoppers.[7] In 2018 Umaga was part of the Auckland squad that won the Mitre Cup.[4] The following year saw him loaned to Yorkshire Carnegie for the 2018–19 RFU Championship.[4]

In October 2020 Umaga scored a try for Wasps as they lost to Exeter Chiefs in the Premiership final to finish runners up.[8]

Umaga was made redundant along with every other Wasps player and coach when the team entered administration on 17 October 2022.[9] He instead signed a two-year deal with Italy region Benetton in the URC from the 2022-23 season.[10] His stay was later extended to 2026.[11]

International career

Umaga was a member of the England Under-20 side that completed a grand slam during the 2017 Six Nations Under 20s Championship.[12][13] Later that year he started for the side that finished runners up to New Zealand in the final of the 2017 World Rugby Under 20 Championship.[14]

In January 2020 Umaga received his first call-up to the senior England squad by coach Eddie Jones for the 2020 Six Nations Championship.[15] On 4 July 2021 he won his first cap off the bench in a 43–29 victory against the United States.[16][17]

References

  1. ^ "Player profile". itsrugby.co.uk. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  2. ^ "JACOB UMAGA FIRMA COL BENETTON RUGBY SINO AL 2024". Benetton Rugby. 14 November 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  3. ^ a b Craven, David (28 March 2020). "Twenty five years after joining Halifax, Mike Umaga still calls Yorkshire home". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  4. ^ a b c Bridge, Bobby (20 January 2020). "Jacob Umaga: England Six Nations call-up for Wasps youngster - all you need to know". Coventry Telegraph. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  5. ^ Bridge, Bobby (22 March 2020). "Jacob Umaga's rise to the top - from the men who helped guide him". Coventry Telegraph. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  6. ^ Hynes, Charlie (28 November 2019). "Who is Jacob Umaga?". Last Word on Sports. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  7. ^ a b Bridge, Bobby (30 January 2020). "'Heart of steel' - Jacob Umaga cut his teeth at Hinckley and Broadstreet on his journey to England Rugby call-up". Coventry Telegraph. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  8. ^ Pilnick, Brent (24 October 2020). "Premiership Final: Exeter beat Wasps 19-13 to secure historic double". BBC Sport. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  9. ^ Bridge, Bobby (17 October 2022). "Wasps' administration confirmed as 167 employees made redundant". CoventryLive. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  10. ^ "Jacob Umaga signs for Italian URC side Benetton". Rugby Pass. 14 November 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  11. ^ "England fly-half Jacob Umaga extends stay in Italy". Rugby Pass. 4 January 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  12. ^ "Under-20 Six Nations: Wales U20 21-37 England U20". BBC Sport. 10 February 2017. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  13. ^ "Under-20 Six Nations: Ireland U20s 10-14 England U20s". BBC Sport. 17 March 2017. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  14. ^ Rowan, Kate (18 June 2017). "England 17 New Zealand 64: Baby Blacks seal Under 20 World Cup with emphatic victory". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  15. ^ Jones, Chris (20 January 2020). "Six Nations 2020: England call up eight uncapped players". BBC Sport. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  16. ^ Grey, Becky (4 July 2021). "England 43-29 United States". BBC Sport. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  17. ^ Morgan, Charlie (4 July 2021). "Seven tries and 12 Test debuts in win over USA but bigger challenges await England". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 7 December 2021.