Rugby: Happy homecoming

George Konia, right, former Magpies assistant, is now assistant to ex-All Black Derren Witcombe at Northland. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Former Hawke's Bay Magpies rugby captain and assistant coach George Konia got the warning and predictably laughed it off.

The warning?

A Hawke's Bay Today photographer will be stationed in the Harris Stand at Napier's McLean Park on Sunday in case Konia, who will return to the park in his role as Northland assistant coach, walks up to the Magpies' coaches' box.

"There's no problems there. Although I played 50-odd games for Hawke's Bay and had two seasons as assistant coach, my loyalty is with Northland now ... it's going to be a big game for both teams," Konia said.

The former New Zealand Maori representative and 1996 Hurricane, who played 54 games for the Magpies between 1993 and 96 and was assistant coach to Brendon Ratcliffe in 2005 and 06, said his Northland side and the Magpies liked to play an expansive game.

"If the conditions are right it should be a good game."

While he refused to accept the Taniwha would be the favourites in the wake of a seven-day turnaround since their last match and the Magpies would be playing their third match within nine days, he said Northland would travel south with the intent of returning home with the win.

"At this stage of the season, the challenge for us coaches is to keep the players mentally fresh. Who is mentally ready to go on the day and who wants the win the most will win.

"We've prepared the best we can. Every team in the Championship wants a semifinal berth but it's important we take things game by game," Konia said.

A 2003 World Cup player for Japan, Konia, 44, said he , his wife Myra and three children were enjoying living in Northland.

"It's similar to Hawke's Bay. Similar in size, a little bit laidback and they love their footy."

Myra and their three children won't be travelling to Napier.

"They will be wearing their Taniwha gear in front of the television at home," Konia said.

A former New Zealand Colts, New Zealand Divisional XV, New Zealand Development XV, New Zealand XV and New Zealand Barbarians player, as well as an All Blacks trialist, Konia agreed the memories of his time with the Magpies would flood back when the Northland team arrived at Hawke's Bay Airport tomorrow.

"They were special times and special moments ... any international scalp you get is a memorable one," Konia said.

Like Magpies manager and former halfback Neil Weber, Konia played for the Magpies in their 29-17 win against the British Lions in 1993. The following year he played in the 30-25 win against France.

A series of knocks means Konia no longer takes the field. His main recreational pursuits these days are diving and fishing.

This year another former Magpies centre, Star Timu, had a crack at making the Northland team but missed the cut.

Timu was also unsuccessful in his quest to make the Bay of Plenty Steamers side and is now back in Hawke's Bay concentrating on work and family commitments.

The Northland and Magpies teams will be named this afternoon.

The Unison Hawke's Bay Secondary Schools top-tier final between defending champions Napier Boys' High School and Hastings Boys' High School, which was to be played as the curtainraiser, has been cancelled after the Hastings side withdrew from the match.

"It was too short of notice for us. A lot of our boys are involved in Hawke's Bay rep teams, as well as club league on Saturday, and being a Sunday game our Mormon boys would have been ruled out. We didn't want to put together a side which wasn't a fair representation of our 1st XV," Hastings Boys' manager Steven Small said.