Experienced campaigners Sam Cane and Aaron Cruden will co-captain the Gallagher Chiefs in 2016.
Cane, from Reporoa, made his Investec Super Rugby debut for the Chiefs in 2011, with Cruden moving north from the Hurricanes to join the Chiefs in 2012. To date, the duo has amassed a combined 121 caps for the two-time Super Rugby champions.
Chiefs head coach Dave Rennie said the appointment of Cruden and Cane as co-captains allowed them to share the significant workload the captaincy involves.
"Sharing the captaincy and the accompanying workload between two proud Chiefs men in Sam and Aaron makes a lot of sense. They're both bloody good players and quality men, who set high expectations and demand the best from their teammates both on and off the field.
"Having Aaron here during the preseason to train alongside the new boys has given him the opportunity to connect with them and also empathise with how hard they've been working. Sam is back training this week inspired and determined, having had a decent break to regenerate following his impressive 2015 year with the Chiefs and All Blacks," Rennie said.