Horowhenua Kāpiti chief executive Corey Kennett, right, was a late injury replacement for their Heartland Championship match against East Coast. He's pictured with captain Ryan Shelford.

An injury crisis forced 47-year-old Horowhenua Kāpiti boss Corey Kennett to lace up off the bench in a remarkable comeback to rep rugby after 23 years.

In what must be a first for a rugby union chief executive, Kennett suited up for Horowhenua Kāpiti's Heartland Championship game against East Coast at Ruatoria on Saturday.

Kennett, 47, was a late replacement when lock Tainui Woodmass​ pulled out with sickness at the last minute and with the game so far away from home, they couldn't bring in another player.

Kennett got on with about seven minutes left in the match to make his 58th rep appearance, in what he called a surreal experience.

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"Every single time I've pulled on the jersey it's been an absolute honour," he said. "Although it's been 23 years since I did it, I loved every second of it."

Horowhenua Kāpiti, who are celebrating their 125th year, won 46-8.

Kennett said the doctor told Woodmass it was the worst inflamed throat they had seen, so they decided to leave him out.

"I was going to be used only if we had no-one else left on the bench," Kennett said. "With about 11 minutes to go we had used all our reserves and we had an injury."

Kennett, playing at lock, came close to scoring a try and made a few tackles.

His last Horowhenua Kāpiti game was against North Otago in 1995.

But Kennett still plays club rugby for Levin College Old Boys' senior reserve team and they went through unbeaten to win the grade this year.

Kennett had expected to just run the water and only took moulded sprigs, so had to borrow Woodmass' size 15 boots – a lot bigger than his size 11½ boots.

Kennett said he made sure his East Coast counterpart Cushla Tangaere-Manuel was near a defibrillator.

"I did notice the ambulance had started its engine, ready just in case it needed to come on."

Kennett said they had a production line in Horowhenua Kāpiti so they "don't need all the old fossils".

STUFF Horowhenua Kāpiti Rugby boss Corey Kennett was called out of retirement to play his first rep game in 23 years.

"I'm still chasing the dream. When I grow up I want to be an All Black."

Kennett won't be in the lineup to play South Canterbury at Westpac Stadium in Wellington on Sunday, even though coach Chris Wilton joked his job might rely on it.

Long-time Buller prop Phil Beveridge, 44, was a "young whippersnapper" starting out when Kennett was playing. Beveridge has been playing all the while since, but is now on Buller's coaching staff.

The oldest first-class player in New Zealand is believed to be Albert "Bert" Wood who was 48 years and 203 days when appearing for Hawke's Bay against Poverty Bay in 1911.