Chiefs and Blues to clash at Eden Park

Kane Hames, right, has been in top form for the Chiefs in this year's Super Rugby competition. Photo / Photosport

The Chiefs have beaten the Blues 11 times in succession ahead of tonight's clash at Eden Park.

However, the Chiefs have won those games by an average margin of just eight points which shows the rivalry is as intense as ever but only one team knows how to win.

Both teams are at different ends of the New Zealand Conference.

The Chiefs need to win to move into second place behind the Crusaders while the Blues are long shots to move off the bottom of the table.

There will be no lessening in intensity tonight. The Blues would love to knock the Chiefs over, considering the rich history of the franchises and bitter Auckland v Waikato animosity over the years.

Chiefs prop Kane Hames said while the loss to the Crusaders in Suva last round hurt, the experience was unforgettable.

"I love the Fiji experience, but we didn't get the result we were after on game day. They love their footy. The bus trips to and from training are greeted by every single person on the side of the road waving at the bus," he said.

"You turn up at the stadium, and it is packed before the warm-up. One of the older guys in the management team remarked that rugby in New Zealand used to be like that but is not anymore."

Hames and his teammates know what to expect from the Blues at Eden Park.

"We know they are a team full of great athletes. Every opportunity we have to be a winning team we obviously want to take it.

"The Stormers found us out in a few areas and hopefully we fixed that, then the Crusaders found us out in a few areas so hopefully we have fixed that as well.

"We don't want to keep being found out. We need to turn up [tonight] with all our systems in place and hopefully get a result."

Chiefs head coach Dave Rennie recognises maximum points are vital against the Blues.

"We haven't counted out the fact we can still finish top in our Conference, but we need a couple of other sides to knock over the Crusaders. We'll control what we can. Obviously, that's through a good performance this weekend," he said.

"I think they'll be highly-motivated, but they've always been massive encounters, and I expect nothing different this week."

Concussion issues have hit the Chiefs' midfield depth hard this week with Charlie Ngatai, Sam McNichol and Stephen Donald all unavailable.

It means a rare start for potent attacker Johnny Fa'auli at second five-eighth with the versatile Anton Lienert-Brown moving to centre. In the forwards veteran, Liam Messam takes over from Michael Leitch at No 8.

1. Kane Hames (19 Chiefs caps), 2. Nathan Harris (25), 3. Nepo Laulala (8), 4. Dominic Bird (22), 5. Brodie Retallick (81), 6. Mitchell Brown (11), 7. Sam Cane (co-captain) (90), 8. Liam Messam (156), 9. Tawera Kerr-Barlow (77), 10. Aaron Cruden (co-captain) (83), 11. James Lowe (47), 12. Johnny Faauli (4), 13. Anton Lienert-Brown (35), 14. Tim Nanai-Williams (81), 15. Damian McKenzie (44).
Reserves:
16. Hika Elliot (115), 17. Siegfried Fisi'ihoi (21), 18. Atu Moli (21), 19. Taleni Seu (28), 20. Lachlan Boshier (13), 21. Jonathan Taumateine (4), 22. Solomon Alaimalo (4), 23. Shaun Stevenson (18).