Fonotia wants to delay finale
Kieron Fonotia is fully aware that tomorrow’s clash with Taranaki could be his last in the Tasman No 13 jersey.
The experienced centre is also aware that history still beckons for the Tasman Makos as they attempt to win the Mitre 10 Cup premiership rugby title for the first time.
Tasman meet Taranaki in tomorrow’s premiership semifinal in New Plymouth where a Makos victory would qualify them for their second premiership final in three years. Tasman beat Hawke’s Bay in the 2013 championship final in Nelson to earn promotion to the premiership, subsequently losing to Taranaki in the 2014 premiership final at Yarrow Stadium.
Fonotia’s heading to Welsh club Ospreys at the end of the season and before he departs, he’s determined to help Tasman leave an indelible imprint on the national provincial rugby scene.
Tomorrow’s game will be his 64th for the province since debuting against Northland in 2011. He’d dearly love to finish on 65.
‘‘It’s just sort of just crept up on me,’’ Fonotia said. ‘‘I hadn’t been thinking about [leaving] at all, then it’s just sort of popped up and you’re like, ‘oh shit, the last time for this and last time for that’ sort of thing.’’
He played his 50th game against North Harbour last season and is widely regarded as the hard-man of Tasman’s backline. That reputation, and that of his team-mates following Tasman’s late-season resurgence, will be put squarely to the test tomorrow.
‘‘We know how tough they are there and we’ve got a bit of history with Taranaki over the last few seasons, obviously the [2014 premiership] final there and that same year when they beat us at home in the last play, and we’ve got a couple over them as well.
‘‘It’s a match that I always look forward to because they’re always there or there abouts towards the end of the season.’’
Fonotia said that he was thoroughly enjoying the environment created by head coach Leon MacDonald and his assistant Mark Hammett this season and particularly with the enthusiasm that a host of young new players brought to the equation.
‘‘They’ve just brought heaps of energy and spark and even the people that aren’t playing week in week out are bringing heaps of energy to training. That’s contagious and gets a few of us older boys excited.’’
He said the team was now ready for tomorrow’s challenge.
‘‘I think we’ve been building nicely. At the start of the year we weren’t getting many [bonus] points like we used to in previous years and we’ve just been slowly building and building. And over the last few weeks we’ve been starting to clock up some good scores and our defence is starting get better.
‘‘I suppose [my form has] been a little bit like the team’s. I started a wee bit slow but I think I’ve started to come right towards the back end of the season. I’m starting to get a bit more ball but it’s been okay, it hasn’t been great, but I think the last few weeks I’ve been building.’’
There’s no question he’ll miss Tasman, though.
‘‘It’s definitely sad leaving Tassie. I’ve always said I’m just so grateful for the opportunity Tassie’s given me to play at this level and doors it’s opened for me. On the other hand I’m bloody excited about getting overseas and playing a different brand of rugby and hopefully playing some of my best rugby over there.
‘‘But I feel like I just owe so much Tassie for seeing something in me when no-one else did.’’ But first there’s a job to do. ‘‘I’m 100 percent focused here. I haven’t really sorted out too much for overseas, I’ve just wanted to worry about the next job ahead and that’s this week in the semifinal. Then we’ll just reassess after that.’’