Rugby: Samoa Call Up One-Cap England Back Umaga

Former Wasps fly-half Jacob Umaga, who was capped by England in 2021, has been called up by Samoa for the first time.

The 26-year-old moved to Italian side Benetton Treviso when Wasps went bust in 2022, helping them to finish 10th in the United Rugby Championship this season.

Umaga, initially brought into former coach Eddie Jones’ England squad as an apprentice player during the 2020 Six Nations, came off the bench to win his only senior cap in the 43-29 win over the United States in July 2021.

A change to World Rugby’s rules in 2022 allows players to represent a second nation at international level after three years out of the Test game.

Umaga was born in Halifax after his father Mike, a Samoa international, moved to England to play rugby league. Mike later switched codes to play union for Rotherham.

Tana Umaga, the legendary New Zealand centre, is Jacob’s uncle.

Jacob is part of a 35-strong squad that will prepare for Samoa’s July Test against Scotland in Auckland, New Zealand, and August’s Pacific Nations Cup campaign.

Bbc.com