Rugby: Magpie strikes chord with Canes

Tolu Fahamokioa is keen to put in the hard yards. PHOTO/FILE

AS A teacher's aide at William Colenso College, Tolu Fahamokioa sees one of his roles as keeping the students focused.

"I've been there ever since I arrived in the Bay last month. I like to push the kids towards the right path, stress the importance of education and keep them focused."

It was 10.30am on Monday, the new Hawke's Bay Magpies prop was at school and he got the call. The Hurricanes wanted him in Wellington as injury cover in the buildup to tonight's Super Rugby clash against the Blues at Auckland's Eden Park.

"Within five minutes I was gone," Fahamokioa recalled.

On arrival in Wellington it was his turn to become focused ... on the Hurricanes plays and lineout calls.

Fahamokioa, 24, did enough to impress the Canes coaching staff who named him alongside Ben May as the substitute props.

Chris Eves and Jeffery Toomaga-Allen are the starting props in the absence of former Magpie Ben Franks who is injured and the suspended Reggie Goodes. "Fortunately I spent time down here with the Canes at the start of the year as a replacement player. It's still an awesome environment to be in, everyone is still confident and the all the boys are upbeat," Fahamokioa explained.

"Hopefully I will get some minutes out on the field. If I do, I will play hard and keep doing what I've been doing ... it's working," he said.

A former nursing studies student who played all 10 of Wellington's ITM Cup fixtures last year, Fahamokioa has no regrets about making the move from the capital to the Bay.

"I've played some of my best club rugby. Now I've got an opportunity with the Canes and I'm looking forward to some big Ranfurly Shield games later in the season ... hopefully I can help the Magpies keep the shield," he said.

Fahamokioa's Napier Technical club team manager Cyril Whitburn has no doubt the Bay's latest Tongan Torpedo will handle the step up to the big time.

Fahamokioa has scored two tries in three outings for Tech, including one from a 40-metre solo run in his last outing against Hastings Rugby and Sports a month ago when he collected a knee injury.

"Tolu has fitted in very well and is a fun guy to be around. He will do the job for the Canes," Whitburn said.

One of the longest-serving managers in Hawke's Bay's premier club competition, Whitburn, also had some advice to pass on to the Canes coaches, Chris Boyd and former Magpies lock John Plumtree.

"If Tolu wants to hang out wide on the wing and wait for the final pass let him. He will be a lot faster than Dane Coles out there."

Whitburn was referring to one of All Black rake Coles' favourite ploys of being an extra man out wide which has often seen him score tries in the past. Because Fahamokioa is a former winger and centre Whitburn will back him if he ever lined up for a sprint against Coles.

As was the case last weekend, Magpies lock Mark Abbott has been bracketed with Manawatu loosie Callum Gibbins on the Canes subs bench. Last week, Gibbins got the nod and Abbott will find out later today if it's his turn to strip this weekend.

Magpies captain Brendon O'Connor will start at blindside flanker for the Blues and Magpies pivot Ihaia West at first five-eighth. The Blues have a lengthy injury list, particularly among the forwards. Taking this into account, the Canes should win by 12 points.