RUGBY - Secret weapon' to stay in North

Fetu Vainikolo has decided to stay and try and notch up a few more tries on the wing, but Northland rugby coach Mark Anscombe might yet go cap in hand to Auckland and North Harbour to find more try-scoring back-up for the Air NZ Cup campaign.
Vainikolo has yet to sign an upgraded contract offer to finalise a decision to stay with Northland this season instead of heading to France for the Rugby World Cup with Tonga.
But Anscombe said the flying winger had verbally agreed to stay.
Which is just as well, because Anscombe is now almost certain that former Blues and Crusaders winger Tony Koonwaiyou is not going to make it back to the playing fields this season.
"With all the niggly injuries and now, with the state of Tony's leg which isn't looking all that promising, it was good to get Fetu nailed down to stay with us for the campaign," Anscombe said.
"He (Vainikolo) hasn't signed yet, that sort of stuff is all done in the CEO's office, but he verbally agreed and we shook hands on the deal so as far as I am concerned he is staying," he said.
Thanks to his record-breaking club season, and his two-try effort on debut for Northland on Saturday, Vainikolo is already gaining a profile nationally that is sure to see him a marked man in representative games.
The mission now was to get Vainikolo into the reckoning for a possible Super 14 contract.
"He has had a fair bit of exposure in the media now so he isn't the secret weapon we hoped he might be, but we still think he has the ability to be a real strike force for us this season," Anscombe said.
Vainikolo is likely to start on the wing again on Saturday when Northland meet Manawatu at Palmerston North, but the starting team is sure to be vastly different to the one that took the field against Tasman.
Josh Levi and Hayden Taylor are back in contention in the backs and prop Tony Coughlan is also available. Tim Dow will get a start at hooker with Brad Taylor likely to return at lock and Joel McKenty at openside flanker.
David Holwell will be back to run the backline as well.
But with the squad deadline fast approaching there are still some tough decisions to be made after Saturday's game. Anscombe is still seeking a tighthead prop from Auckland, with a player poised to sign, but is now toying with the idea of adding another backline utility as well.
"We have to scope what is going to come available on loan, but I believe we are going to have to get loan players in one or two areas yet. We will name a Air NZ Cup squad after the weekend, so there will be a bit of pressure on a couple of guys," he said.
Anscombe will name the Northland team to play Manawatu tomorrow.