Blues coach and former All Blacks captain Tana Umaga has given a cautious endorsement of rugby's controversial new tackling laws. Famed for his hard-man approach and his timeless quote about "it's not tiddlywinks" after a run-in with a referee over a high tackle, Umaga admitted the law changes had already forced a revamped approach to this year's Super Rugby competition. Umaga predicted a "feeling out period" early in Super Rugby and said New Zealand franchises had an advantage in watching what was unfolding in the northern competitions. If everybody is going low, offloads could be more prevalent," he said. Umaga, now into his second year with the Blues, is excited about Super Rugby.

Source: New Zealand Herald January 13, 2017 16:05 UTC