Konia packs experience

Northland assistant coach George Konia enters the Taniwha fold with a fair amount of rugby, playing and coaching, behind him.

Konia has represented numerous teams over his lengthy playing career, highlighted by playing for Japan in the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

The former centre played 57 matches for Manawatu before moving to the Hawke's Bay where he played 54 games for the Bay.

In between times, Konia turned out for the Hurricanes while also pulling on jerseys for the New Zealand Colts, New Zealand Divisional XV, New Zealand Development XV, New Zealand XV, New Zealand Maori, New Zealand Barbarians, and was an All Black trialist.

Like Derren Witcombe, during his playing days, Konia didn't see himself coaching when he was playing first-class rugby and said transitioning from player to coach was difficult.

"I never thought I was going to be a rugby coach," said Konia, who has been coaching professionally for nine years.

"However, throughout the teams that I've played for, I've always been one of the so-called leaders in the team.

"Initially, going from being a player to the coach was quite a tough transition because when things aren't going right you just want to chuck yourself in there and fix it.

"But, you've got to pull yourself back from that and try to let the players find their own feet and you're guiding them along the way."

However, when it comes to coaching alongside Witcombe, it seems they share the same feelings. "I think we're a good coaching team," Konia said.

"We've both got similar principles towards coaching but we're passionate about the game and we're going to work hard but we're going to have some fun."

Konia believes that to be a good coach you need to have knowledge, a good work ethic, and be a clear communicator.

"When you start to make things too complicated, you lose the players focus.

"If anything, keep things simple and listen to what the players are saying to you, and then you can make better judgments."

While Konia has now moved permanently to Northland, his family will move up from the Hawke's Bay after the conclusion of the first school term.