Tony Koonwaiyou may resume his injury-plagued rugby career with a surprise start at centre for Northland when they head south for an Air NZ Cup encounter with Otago in Dunedin on Friday night.
Koonwaiyou has only played twice for the province since heading north on loan from Auckland last year, then
transferring permanently this season. But even that was on the wing, a position where he made a name for himself as a try-scoring talent for the Crusaders and Blues in the Super 14.
But with David Holwell ruled out with recurring problems with his shoulder, Koonwaiyou may step in at centre when the team is named today, an intriguing midfield reshuffle that will leave Josh Levi stranded on the bench.
Dan Bowden will move into the playmaking role left vacant by Holwell and Leo Taliu and Koonwaiyou are shaping up as the preferred midfield options.
It will be a significant gamble by Northland coach Mark Anscombe as Koonwaiyou has only had one full game all year, in a lower grade club fixture in Auckland, and one other run-on cameo in Northland club rugby.
"Holwell won't play this Friday. He is getting more and more movement in his shoulder and if it keeps progressing then hopefully he will be available for Bay of Plenty next week," Anscombe said.
"We feel Koonwaiyou brings more leadership and voice to the backline and when you lose Holwell then you really need a leader to step in and help Dan (Bowden) out," he said.
It will be a key game for Koonwaiyou, who has been constantly troubled by stress fractures in his leg, especially as Otago will be smarting from a 60-point drubbing by Wellington in their first match.
Anscombe is bracing his side for the fallout from a hurting Otago outfit.
"Otago will see us as a good opportunity to get their programme back on track. I hate to think what the press are saying down there ... " he said.
The Northland team travel to Dunedin after a training session in Whangarei tomorrow.
The game is at Carisbrook at 7pm on Friday night.
