Hobbs, who scored all of the Highlanders' 17 points in the loss to the Crusaders in Christchurch after coming off the bench, was playing his first competitive game of rugby since April last year.
Hobbs (22) was invalided out of rugby because of three stress fractures in his back, which limited his activity for 10 months.
"I had to rest and was not allowed to do anything at all. Couldn't run, couldn't kick, couldn't do anything. I eventually started to do a bit of pilates and acupuncture, slowly working my way back into it," he said.
"But it was very frustrating. Playing rugby is what you want to do and I wasn't even allowed to go for a run.
"It started in about round four or five of last year, when I was playing for the Blues. I was playing in agony and then when I got a slap in the face against the Hurricanes I thought I'd better stop now."
Ordered to rest, he had to twiddle his thumbs, although he used the time to study, as he nears completing a commerce degree in accounting and finance at Victoria University.
The rest paid off, as he was given a medical clearance late last year and joined the Highlanders for the pre-season.
His return to the playing field got off to swift start on Saturday night, when he came on for injured first five-eighth Mathew Berquist, just before half-time.
Hobbs then scored two tries, shrugging off tacklers in both of them.
He converted both and knocked over a penalty goal, for good measure.
But Hobbs said, if anything, he could have played better on Saturday.
"When we got back to 18-17, that was when I should have put my foot down and slowed things down - tried to control the game a little bit more. We didn't need to chase the game any more, as we had caught up."
He was pleasantly pleased with his goal kicking.
"I had a niggle during the week, so hadn't done much practice. But when Berky [Berquist] went down, I realised I would have to be the goalkicker."
Hobbs is the son of New Zealand Rugby Union chairman and former All Black Jock Hobbs, but said there was no big advantage to having his father in the top job.
Hobbs is returning to Wellington for the national championship, saying he felt some loyalty to the province.
"I signed with them last year and they paid for me when I was out for all that time, so I sort of wanted to stay as I owed them a little bit."
He is enjoying his time in Dunedin - he is flatting with winger James Paterson - and hopes to get a start against his old team, the Blues, at Carisbrook on Friday.
"This is going to be a big game for both teams, really. The Gordon Hunter trophy is at stake so there is plenty to play for. Last week, we didn't really play any rugby for 50 to 60 minutes of the game, yet we were still right in there. So we have to be encouraged by that."
