Stage set for Umaga curtain call

Scotland 10 New Zealand 29: New Zealand may have won a historic grand slam but, despite staunch denials to the contrary, they seem destined to lose their totemic captain Tana Umaga sooner rather than later.

Test retirement is beckoning the All Blacks' warrior leader and there was a strong sense in the Edinburgh gloaming that, at 32, Umaga is about to follow his English counterpart Martin Johnson's example and depart with world rugby prostrate at his feet.

The obvious difference is Umaga, unlike Johnson, has not yet won a World Cup but the completion of an unprecedented triple whammy - an unbeaten Lions series, a Tri-Nations title and a triumphant sweep through Britain and Ireland - is the next best thing. While Umaga is yet to declare his intentions publicly, his team-mates expect the curtain to fall after eight years and 73 caps.

"Tana will leave a void, he's been a great leader," said the All Blacks outhalf Nick Evans, his admiration already straying into the past tense. "If he is about to retire you'd have to say he's been one of the greats, eh?" said the lock Chris Jack.

Graham Henry, one imagines, will not idly lie back and take no for an answer and Umaga conceded his old team-mate Frank Bunce, who played on past the age of 35, had warned him against hasty decisions. Maybe it will simply prove to be au revoir; if his body does not rebel he could conceivably take a year out and resurface for one last World Cup hurrah in 2007.

What is indisputably true is that the furore over the tackle on Brian O'Driscoll during the Lions tour has proved a strain and, as things stand, his instincts are screaming at him to take time out. "When I make the decision I'll let you know," he teased.

New Zealand will miss his captaincy when the moment comes, not least because the heir apparent, Richie McCaw, has a patchy injury record and very few others are automatic choices. All things are relative, though, and Saturday's most telling image came as the squad gathered for a celebratory post-match picture. There, on the edge of the shot, stood a tracksuited Daniel Carter, not required against either Ireland or Scotland despite being the world's best stand-off.

This is not an All Black team reliant on any one man.

Nor will clinching a grand slam with virtually a third XV on the field at the final whistle affect the elevation of Umaga's side into imperishable All Black lore. They are only the second New Zealand team in 100 years to secure a coveted grand slam and a try balance of 16 tries scored and three conceded tells its own story.

Some may still be struggling to separate their Taumoepeaus from their Tialatas and their Lauakis from their Tuilai'is but the depth of talent is increasingly ominous. Sione Lauaki and Piri Weepu, in particular, are pushing hard for a starting role every week and Jason Eaton, Rico Gear, Conrad Smith and James Ryan are impressive stand-ins.

The 19-year-old Isaia Toeava also has the X-factor at fullback, although he says he prefers playing at second five-eighth. No wonder Umaga is loth to outstay his welcome.

It was all too much for Scotland in the first half, even if the home side played much more promisingly in the second. Two tries by the prolific Gear and one from Evans were slick enough but they were nothing compared with the 33rd-minute effort by Lauaki incorporating Toeava's one-handed offload, Ryan's behind-the-back juggle and the big number eight's support.

Scotland could have buckled but, to their credit, they provided stiffer opposition than either Wales or Ireland.

The second half was a 7-7 draw and Simon Webster's late try, from Phil Godman's little grubber kick, was well deserved. Sadly, though, one nettle has to be grasped. If Dan Parks is the answer at outhalf you have to wonder what the question is. On Saturday's evidence Scotland's increasingly desperate Dan is in the pea-shooter class as a creative attacking pivot and, for the sake of the talented Sean Lamont on the wing, there surely has to be a rethink.

Around 20,000 empty seats for the visit of the world's best side was also disappointing but under Scotland's coach Frank Hadden there are at least signs of on-field progress.

SCOTLAND: Southwell (Edinburgh); Paterson (Edinburgh), Di Rollo (Edinburgh), Henderson (Glasgow), S Lamont (Northampton); Parks (Glasgow), Cusiter (Borders); Kerr (Leeds), Lawson (Glasgow), Douglas (Borders, Hamilton (Glasgow), Murray (Edinburgh), White (Sale, capt), Hogg (Edinburgh), Taylor (Edinburgh). Replacements: Blair (Edinburgh) for Cusiter 20 mins; Webster (Edinburgh) for Di Rollo 56 mins; Hall (Edinburgh) for Lawson, Smith (Edinburgh) for Douglas 59 mins; Kelloch (Edinburgh) for Hamilton; Brown (Borders) for Hogg, Godman (Edinburgh) for Parks 67 mins;

NEW ZEALAND: Toeava (Auckland); Gear (Nelson Bays), Smith (Wellington), Umaga (Wellington, capt), Rokocoko (Auckland); Evans (Otago), Weepu (Wellington); Taumoepeau (Auckland); Oliver (Otago), Afoa (Auckland), Jack (Canterbury), Ryan (Otago), A Macdonald (Auckland), McCaw (Canterbury), Lauaki (Waikato). Replacements: Tuiali'i (Canterbury) for McCaw 45 mins; Hore (Taranaki) for Oliver 47 mins; Nonu (Wellington) for Smith (h-t); Cowan (Southland) for Weepu 63 mins; MacDonald (Canterbury) for Evans 68 mins; Tialata (Wellington) for Taumoepeau 69 mins; Eaton (Taranaki) for Ryan 63 mins;

Referee: N Whitehouse (Wales).

Guardian Service