Niva Ta'auso. File photo / Brett Phibbs
The pain of losing Tana Umaga to an Achilles injury for the season has been alleviated by the return of an old favourite.
Hard-running centre Niva Ta'auso is in the process of completing a contract with the union after spending the past three years with Irish province Connacht.
Ta'auso, 31,
is no stranger to Counties Manukau rugby, having played 63 times since making his debut against Argentina in 2001.
After Umaga ruptured his Achilles playing for the Chiefs in the Super 15, Counties were suddenly left without an experienced hand to guide some of the most exciting talent in the competition around the park.
Ta'auso, who played 16 games for the Chiefs, will be asked to take that role.
Counties coach Milton Haig had to plan around a couple of untimely injuries. Tim Nanai-Williams is wearing a moonboot and is expected to be out for a couple of weeks. With the condensed format, that could mean missing more than a quarter of the season.
Ahsee Tuala, who made such a big impact on the wing last season, has been training at fullback.
Most frustrating is the situation at first five-eighth, where both Dean Cummins and Baden Kerr are injured.
Kerr broke his wrist playing club rugby. A month later he had it x-rayed, only for doctors to discover it had not set properly. That meant it had to be re-set and he will miss the start of the season.
Nanai-Williams was another option to start at No 10, but his injury means the responsibility will fall on young Pukekohe pivot James Semple.
Injuries aside, Counties have a settled squad, with the addition of Ta'auso and Waikato halfback David Bason offsetting the loss of Nepo Laulala to Canterbury and David Raikuna to North Harbour.
After several impressive performances against good opposition last year, nothing less than the Championship final would suffice.
