Maisey back for Waikato after broken leg

1.00pm

When Chiefs rugby midfielder Derek Maisey broke his leg and ankle joint in the last round-robin match of this year's Super 12 he thought his NPC season was gone.

But 19 weeks later he is lining up on the bench for Waikato in Dunedin tomorrow night against Otago with the season just over halfway through.

The selection of Maisey in the reserves is one of four changes to the bench and one change to the starting lineup that beat Northland last weekend.

Coach John Mitchell sprung another surprise by starting 20-year-old New Zealand Colts pivot Stephen Donald at first five-eighths and shuffling David Hill and Keith Lowen out one place.

That reshuffle means 19-year-old centre Richard Kahui moves to the bench to join Maisey, David Briggs and Rhys Duggan, who are all new to the reserves this week, although Briggs was unable to train last night.

Isaac Boss stays at fullback because Todd Miller's knee is still not right.

But it is the return of Maisey that is the most significant as it heralds the start of a number of long-term injured players returning to action -- Roger Randle, Regan King and Tom Willis -- all making their comebacks tomorrow via Waikato B.

"I wasn't expecting to play at all this season," Maisey said of the ankle injury suffered against the Brumbies at Waikato Stadium on May 8.

"But I had a good response from the operation, the surgeon was really happy with it and it's wait and see now really."

Maisey had a plate inserted to hold the broken bone together and screws inserted in his ankle joint, leaving him in a cast for eight weeks before he became mobile.

"But when I got the two screws removed, maybe eight weeks ago, I slowly started jogging.

"About a week after that I talked to trainer Nic Gill and he said 'yes, you've got a chance', then I talked to the surgeon and he reassessed it and said it was looking good and it's progressed from there."

Mitchell said he had decided to go for a bit more of a five-eighths mixture for the puggy Carisbrook field in placing Donald at first five, Hill at second and Lowen at centre, selecting strong kickers and playmakers at first five, second five and fullback.

"We've got three guys at 10, 12 and 15 who can kick off both feet.

"From what I understand the field down there has dried but any kind of moisture and she'll bog up again," Mitchell said.

Mitchell has also kept his forward pack intact, again going for a big lineout.

Waikato: Isaac Boss, Sosene Anesi, Keith Lowen, David Hill, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Stephen Donald, Byron Kelleher, Steven Bates, Marty Holah, Jono Gibbes (captain), Sean Hohneck, Josh Sole, Deacon Manu, Scott Linklater, Michael Collins. Reserves: Jamie McQueen, David Briggs, Ben Paurini, Liam Messam, Rhys Duggan, Richard Kahui, Derek Maisey.

Otago: Glen Horton, Ben Smith, Seilala Mapusua, Jason Kawau, Neil Brew, Mathew Berquist/Ashley Barron, Danny Lee, Grant Webb, Tom Harding, Josh Blackie/Adam Thomson, Simon Maling, James Ryan, Carl Hayman, Anton Oliver (c), Carl Hoeft. Reserves: Jason Macdonald, Jeremy Aldworth, Filipo Levi, Adam Thomson/Sam Harding, Toby Morland, Ashley Barron/Mathew Berquist, Ryan Nicholas.

- NZPA

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