Poki (23), a member of the Crusaders squad for the last three years, entered into negotiations with the Sannix Club in Japan when his contract was not renewed.
"It was something I could fall back on if I didn't succeed here," he said.
"But I now know what I want to do and am keen to stay."
An added incentive is that his partner Kate has a job in Dunedin. Poki was unsure about his rugby future when the call came from coach Jamie Joseph in February to replace injured fullback Kurt Baker.
"It was a lifeline to me from Jamie," he said. "I wanted to play Super rugby and didn't think twice about it." Knee problems have limited Poki's game time this winter.
"The knee is still the same but it's good enough to last out the season," Poki said. "I'll keep playing on it and get as much game time as I can."
There is a bit of cartilage floating around in his knee and he intends to have an operation to clean it up after the Super 15 season.
"It is a minor operation and needs a recovery time of four weeks," he said.
"It's not big. It just gets a bit niggly."
The bye week gave Poki time to give his knee a rest. When training full time he likes to take it a bit easier for the first couple of days to keep his legs fresh for the weekend.
Poki also had sore hamstrings when he was signed by the Highlanders in February.
Highlanders trainer Andrew Beardmore has given him exercises to strengthen the muscles in his legs and he has had no more hamstring problems.
He likes the Highlanders environment.
"All the guys are level-headed.
No-one is cocky. No-one has big heads," he said. "They are friendly and welcome you into the team. They are good guys.
"Jamie [Joseph] is a great coach and one of the best in the country. We are a whole bunch of new guys and he has done a lot to bring us together."
He enjoys Joseph's honest approach to the players.
"There is no mucking around with him. He is straight up and down. You know where you stand with him," he said.
In 2007, Poki was the top try scorer for the New Zealand under-19 team that won the World Cup in Belfast. He scored a try when South Africa was beaten 31-7 in the final. It was one of the highlights of his rugby career.
"I scored a try in the corner from a cross-kick," he said. "It was one of my best memories of that game."
He enjoyed the experience on the podium.
"It was one of the best feelings I have had in rugby," he said. "It was awesome."
He would like to repeat that World Cup win at a higher level of rugby.
"That is one of the reasons I didn't go overseas. I want to give it a good crack here and make higher honours."
