Stuff.co,nz: Counties-Manukau have had discussions with All Blacks great Tana Umaga about returning to the New Zealand rugby scene.

They are looking to bolster their squad for what will be a crucial 2010 national championship.

There is speculation the first division strugglers are close to signing the 36-year-old former New Zealand skipper although head coach Milton Haig said "there's a lot of water to go under the bridge yet".

Haig stressed Counties-Manukau were in the market for players first. It appears Umaga is very keen to continuing his coaching career as well.

Since 2007 he has been on the coaching staff of Toulon where Frenchman Philippe St Andre is now in charge. Umaga's contract there ends at the end of the current season.

The questions now appear to be whether Counties Manukau can afford Umaga, whether they value his coaching abilities as if they believe he can still make an impact on the playing field here.

Haig has a further year to run on his Counties contract and appears safe as his side heads into a season where they will want to lift themselves away from the foot of the table with the domestic scene to be revamped next year.

"We are certainly in talks with a number of agents around Europe in terms of player recruitment. Tana's agent is one of them. But we haven't got past second base yet," Haig told Stuff.co.nz.

"We do know what he is looking for ... to fit into an assistant's coaches role as well as playing. We are interested in him firstly as a player, absolutely."

Haig felt that now Counties' core players had been tied down to new deals, a couple of big names from offshore would certainly boost his young squad.

"We are talking to agents in Europe about all sorts of people ... we'd be interested in Carl Hayman as well," laughed Haig before adding more seriously. "you would be surprised who wants to come home, that's for sure."

Umaga briefly returned to playing duties in France last season to help Toulon avoid relegation. He has restricted his role to assistant coaching this season although he is believed to be in good fitness and played an international 10s tournament in Cape Town last weekend.

He has been a Wellington player through and through, playing 100 games for the Lions, 122 matches for the Hurricanes and becoming one of the faces of Wainuiomata. He played 74 tests for the All Blacks, 21 as captain.

09 February, 2010