And it is one chance he is intent on cashing in on.
Winger Poki, who made his Highlanders debut last week against the Hurricanes, was, until a couple of months ago, facing a season with his feet up.
He had spent three years with the Crusaders but a nagging hamstring injury wrecked his season last year and he was not picked by the Christchurch-based franchise this season.
But, as new Highlanders fullback Kurt Baker went down with a serious back injury and was ordered to take three months' rest, Poki was called from Blenheim and whistled down south to join the franchise.
''It was tough on Kurt and not great for him, but it was a chance for me and one I want to make the most of. I just want to get back on to the field and play,'' Poki said.
''It helps in some ways that a lot of the team are from out of town, so we are all sort of in the same boat. We get to know each other pretty well and that helps in the game.''
Poki (23) had an improving season for Tasman last year, working his way back to full fitness after struggling to get on to the park in the Super 14 last year because of the hamstring.
''I ended up doing it three times and each time, I spent a little more time trying to get back on to the paddock, but I would just do it again. The thing is, when I was 16, I did my ACL [anterior cruciate ligament] in my knee.
"They grafted a bit off my hamstring into my knee and that may be the reason I'm struggling with the hamstring.''
He is working with Highlanders trainer Andrew Beardmore to try to improve the muscles in his legs and eliminate the niggling injuries.
''The trainer has been really helpful, giving me these exercises, working in the gym, which seems to have helped.''
Poki was born and bred in Blenheim but went to Hato Paora College, near Palmerston North, as a boarder.
The knee injury meant he did not play a lot of rugby at school and he made an impact only when he returned to Blenheim, making the New Zealand Colts.
He said he would return to Tasman for the next season but for now, he was concentrating on the Highlanders.
''It was a great result last Friday night and we fought for each other right to the end. But really, we coughed up a lot of opportunities to get more points.
That is one of the things we have to work on this week.
''But for the past few years the Highlanders have come up short in games like that, so we knew right at the end we just had to dig in and trust each other.
''That is a bit of a focus this year, that in the last 10 to 20 minutes of a game, we've got to hang on to the game.''
