The 24-year-old does not remember applying for the job. He thought he flicked his curriculum vitae to a rival club.
"It is a bit of a weird one," Semple said.
"Before I came down I didn’t know much about the competition and I think I gave my CV to Kurow and somehow Maheno ended up with it.
"I couldn’t actually remember applying for any coaching role, to be honest. But I always came down with the intention to either play or coach."
Semple moved from Tauranga to Oamaru after accepting a job in November with the Otago Cricket Association as a cricket development officer for the North Otago region.
He loves cricket and it pays the bills. But rugby is his No1 passion.
A utility back, he is very driven and would like to go as far as he can in the sport as a coach.
He got his coaching start when he was sidelined with an injury last season.
Semple coached a premier women’s team in Mount Maunganui and enjoyed the experience.
So far, so good, at Maheno. The defending Citizens Shield champion has won both its matches by 30-plus points.
But it hosts the only other unbeaten team this week and Valley will present a much sterner challenge.
Semple will bring his boots but plans to sit deep on the bench and said "hopefully I won’t be called upon".
He will only have himself to blame if he does get the call.
Aside from making those particular kind of big calls, his challenge is to be taken seriously. There are not too many people in their mid-20s coaching at senior level.
But rather than find resistance, Semple has found willing allies in the senior ranks of Maheno. That has made his job so much easier.
"I was a little bit worried about how a senior men’s rugby team would take on a such a young coach, but the senior players have been awesome.
"They back up what I say and feed in when necessary with their thoughts.
"It is going pretty well."