Tana Umaga has kept life pretty simple this year.

Family life is first, rugby second. But there has to be a concentration on both. Further down the track? Who knows? Maybe even a change of code. Umaga's contract with the New Zealand Rugby Football Union (NZRFU) finishes at the end of 2001, and he does not deny the possibility of a career change at that stage.

"You never know," Umaga said this week. "You have to leave your options open. I do not deny there are league rumours still floating around."

Umaga was a Junior Kiwi a few years ago and even flirted with a contract with the Brisbane Broncos in the Australian National Rugby League competition. At various times in recent months his name has been tied to the Warriors. But rugby remains, at this stage, Umaga's game, even if that has taken back stage to the birth of his and partner Rochelle's second child, due May 13.

Thus Umaga's match against New South Wales on Saturday night in Sydney will be his last for the Hurricanes unless the side makes the competition semi-finals. He'll be sitting at home while the Hurricanes continue their semis hunt against the Stormers and Bulls in South Africa.

"My aims for this year have been very short-term," Umaga said. "Obviously the greater goal for me was the fact that the baby was coming. That's a decision I've made and the team has stood by me.

"But in rugby I just did not want to drop my standards. I did that in one game (the World Cup semi against France) over there, so I put the onus on myself to get better. Obviously I have more to learn about the game, so my aim is to lift my standards week-by-week."

Overall, Umaga's aim has been to stay relaxed, and that's reflected in a low error rate despite a huge workload he has inflicted on himself. His ability to cast aside the disappointment of the World Cup and imprint his personality on matches rivals that of beaten All Black captain Taine Randell.

"The World Cup loss did hit me hard for a couple of days, and then for a few weeks after that, but at the end of the day we couldn't do much about it," Umaga said. "Many people wanted to dwell on it, but you can't afford to. As far as I was concerned, I had to get on with life."

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