Tana Umaga farewelled New Zealand rugby in his own humble way yesterday as tributes continued to pour in. NZPA's Harris Choy reports

After 14 years in the limelight during which the father of three successfully kept his family protected from the media, Umaga presented his young daughters Gabrielle and Lily-Kate to the Westpac Stadium crowd.

"Our children are precious. Please look after them," he told the hushed assembly in an obvious reference to the recent cases of child abuse that have grabbed the headlines.

After presentations to him by Wellington mayor Kerry Prendergast and Wellington Rugby Union representative Allan Hewson, a former All Black, Umaga cleared his throat a few times as he addressed part of the 14,000 crowd who had watched him play his 100th and last match for the province.

"I can play a physical game of rugby and still go home as a loving father to my children," he told spectators.

Umaga bowed out for the final time after helping his Wellington team beat Manawatu 37-7 in an Air NZ Cup match yesterday.

His Petone club, the Hurricanes and the All Blacks had farewelled him earlier.

"This was very important to me -- that I finish it here because I had started it here," he said.

Despite no real experience in coaching, Umaga leaves on Wednesday to take over second division French club Toulon.

The club has recruited some players -- Andrew Mehrtens, George Gregan and Victor Matfield among them -- with playing credentials equally impressive or better than his own.

He will depend mostly on what his 70-odd games for Petone, 100 for Wellington, 122 Super 12 or 14 for the Hurricanes and 74 tests -- 21 as captain -- have taught him.

"I've learned from all my coaches, something from everyone really, plus I have some of my own ideas I want to try out there."

Umaga played a few game for Toulon this year as a guest and the club's owner Mourad Boudjellal sought him out as general manager of the club in a bid to drive the club back to the top division.

Tributes to the 34-year-old were still pouring in through talkback today, mostly for the mana the dreadlocked boy, with a rugby league background from Wainuiomata, held.

Rugby columnist, commentator and author Phil Gifford said Umaga commanded the same respect as Sean Fitzpatrick, Wayne Shelford and Brian Lochore.

"One of the things he did do, I feel, is that he established the fact that if you're a Polynesian in New Zealand rugby you can still, without question, captain the All Blacks and unify the country. That's one of the big things, I reckon, he did," Gifford said.

"Who would have thought that a Samoan guy from Wainuiomata with dreads would be so well respected by every person of any colour, creed or religion in New Zealand.

"He did things on his own terms. He was his own man. He got to where he was without boot-licking. He inspired respect on and off the field."

Former All Black winger Stu Wilson, a Wellington stalwart in his day, said the fact that Umaga had gone out on his own terms reflected his greatness.

"Not many guys have done that -- gone in and out on their own terms. He deserves every bit of bloody praise he gets."

Wilson said he knew the current All Blacks regime tried unsuccessfully to keep him in the game until the end of the World Cup.

"They threw money at him, they threw conditions. They said you don't actually have play too many games and they wanted him there...he still said no. So, money wasn't the issue."'

Umaga has been extremely protective of his family when it has comes to the media.

However, he called for his two daughters from the stands, carried one in each arm and they were by his side when the presentations were made yesterday.

He was honoured with two life tickets to the stand for playing 100 games for Wellington and the stadium's aisle 13 -- his jersey number -- was named after him.

"In American sport, they would simply retire the No 13 shirt in his honour but it isn't as easy at that in rugby and the Tana Umaga Aisle is our way of making a permanent legacy to one of our greatest players," Wellington Rugby chief executive Greg Peters said.

In his last post-match media appearance in New Zealand, Umaga said it was an usual day yesterday.

Emotional?

"I think once I sit back at home, and I don't have to go training on Monday, that's when it will happen.

"There's still things to do to keep the mind off the occasion.

"You know how it is -- when you sit around and there' nothing to do and nothing to think about that's when things start to hit you. I expect it to hit when I'm home -- I hope it does, because I'll probably end up crying."

Umaga led the All Blacks' first Grand Slam tour in 27 years in 2005 and a clean sweep over the British and Irish Lions.

In the company of the Prime Minister, he helped New Zealand win the bid to host the 2011 World Cup and last year Jonathan Faleafasa Umaga was made an Officer of the Order of New Zealand in the Queen's Birthday honours.

A low point of his career was the furore that surrounded the tackle which put Lions opposite Brian O'Driscoll out of the tour in 2005. The fall-out affected his family, something which has repeatedly rankled deeply.

His portrayal as a villain was incongruous with the player who two years earlier won an international fair play award for going to the aid of unconscious Welsh forward Colin Charvis in a test.

He said he had no regrets and was fortunate to experience both amateur and professional rugby, and was thankful to yesterday's crowd who braved the gusty, grey day and tried to make it a memorable occasion for the player who had given them some great memories over 14 years."

Key facts and figures about Tana Umaga, who played his 100th and final game for Wellington yesterday:

Full name: Jonathan Falefasa Umaga

Born: May 27, 1973, in Lower Hutt

Height: 1.87m

Weight: 101kg

Position: centre/second five-eighths

Rugby club: Petone

Province: Wellington

Super 14 team: Hurricanes

All Blacks debut: June 14, 1997, v Fiji at Albany

Last test: November 26, 2005, v Scotland at Edinburgh

Total All Blacks tests: 74 (21 as captain)

Total All Blacks test tries: 36

1992: represents Junior Kiwis in rugby league before switching to rugby union

1994: makes senior debut for Wellington; represents New Zealand Colts

1997: scores 12 Super 12 tries -- the most by a New Zealander in a season

1999: scores a hat-trick of tries against touring France; appears in World Cup in Britain

2000: switches to centre after playing first 17 tests on the wing; named New Zealand player of the year

2003: becomes first New Zealander to win Pierre de Coubertin Trophy for fair play after attending to Welsh captain Colin Charvis when he was knocked out during a test; injures his knee against Italy in first match of the World Cup and misses rest of the tournament

2004: becomes the first Samoan New Zealander to captain the All Blacks in a test

2005: leads All Blacks to a 3-0 series win against the British and Irish Lions, the Tri-Nations Trophy, the Bledisloe Cup and grand slam against Wales, Ireland, England and Scotland; winning 11 of 12 tests in the season.

2006: Made an Officer of the Order of New Zealand

2007: Plays the last of his 122 Super 12/14 games and 100th game for Wellington. Scored 58 tries for Wellington).