Wasps fly-half Jacob Umaga signs new first-team deal

Wasps fly-half Jacob Umaga has signed a new first-team team with the Gallagher Premiership club.

A product of Wasps Academy, the 21-year-old impressed on his 13 first-team appearances where he scored 72 points combined. He also came up with a man of the match performance in Wasps' Challenge Cup win over Agen last weekend. He also impressed for Wasps A in the Premiership Rugby Shield last season where he amassed 82 points from seven games.

“I’m over the moon to sign a new deal. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time at Wasps so far, coming through the Academy and into the first-team while making a lot of good friends," he told the official website of the club.

“It’s been great to learn from experienced players like Lima and Jimmy (Gopperth) and being able to tap into their knowledge has been hugely beneficial for me.

“It’s awesome that a number of the guys who I’ve been close with in the Academy have graduated into the first-team too, as we’re a tight group, and hopefully we can all drive standards and continue playing together at the Club for a long time to come.”

Umaga also represented Yorkshire Carnegie during the 2018/19 season of Championship and also enjoyed a spell with Auckland in the Mitre 10 Cup in 2018. He also featured for England at the Under 18 and Under 20 levels.

Wasps director of rugby Dai Young believes Umaga has the potential to be a successful player at the top level.

“Jacob has gone from strength to strength in the past year, gaining some valuable experience in New Zealand and in the Championship before putting in some quality displays for us in the A League.

“He’s worked really hard on his game and is now challenging both Lima (Sopoaga) and Billy (Searle) for the number ten jersey – and that competition across the squad is exactly what you want.

“He is still very young and has a lot of room for growth. We’re pleased he’s committed his future to the Club and hopefully we can help him realise his full potential over the coming years to become a top-end Premiership player.”

Wasps had a tough start to the Premiership season after managing a solitary win from four games and will lock horns with Exeter Chiefs in the fifth round on Saturday at Sandy Park.