WATCH: Former Kenilworth rugby ace opens up on the pressures of the spotlight

By James Smith

15th Jul 2021 | Rugby


A former member of Kenilworth Rugby Club who now plays professionally for Wasps has opened up on the pressures of being in the spotlight.

Jacob Umaga, 22, made his senior England debut against USA at the beginning of July and has shared his experiences of life as a professional in a video on the Wasps' YouTube account..

Son of former Samoan international Mike Umaga and nephew of former All Blacks captain Tana, Jacob speaks about the pressures of his family's sporting pedigree.

He said: "A lot of growing up was around people saying 'You've got this name but you're not as good', kids being kids."

He also talks about the media spotlight in the UK, saying that "you want to get away from it but you can't.

"We love our fans, but when it turns negative I think its hard for us as players to disassociate from that, whereas for them they probably just put a comment and its just out there."

See the full video embedded at the top of this page.

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