Super Rugby
Hika Elliot re-joins Chiefs
ESPN Staff
November 26, 2014
Counties Manukau's Hika Elliot makes a run, Counties Manukau v Taranaki, ITM Cup, Ranfurly Shield, ECOLight Stadium, Pukekohe, on September 15, 2013
Hika Elliot has been cleared to play again © Getty Images
Enlarge

Hika Elliot will re-join the Chiefs as a pre-season replacement for Nathan Harris when the side officially assembles on Thursday.

Nathan Harris replaced Elliot when the veteran suffered a neck injury last season. Now, in an ironic turn of events, Elliot will replace Harris as he recovers from ankle surgery. Harris damaged his left ankle playing for the All Blacks against the United States in Chicago shortly after scoring his first Test try. He is expected to be out of rugby for six months.

"Hika played some Heartland rugby and came through that well," Chiefs coach Dave Rennie said of Elliot, who sustained his neck injury on the Maori All Blacks end-of-year tour in 2013. "He is in great shape and keen to get back into to pre-season training so we are rapt to have him back."

Three other players will also train with the Chiefs on interim contracts, namely Counties Manukau prop Jarrod Firth; New Zealand Under-20 loose forward James Tucker from Waikato; and Maori All Blacks back-rower Mitchell Crosswell from Taranaki, who will join training once he finishes his exams.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd

Live Sports

Communication error please reload the page.