Rugby: Messam's walking on air

Liam Messam will lead the Chiefs against the Bulls in his home town of Rotorua tonight. Photo / Getty Images

Take it from Liam Messam - Rotorua's scent of sulphur "makes you hard and tough".

Chiefs captain Messam has been selling the benefits of the city's signature smell to the team's younger players ahead of tonight's clash with the Bulls at Rotorua International Stadium.

The former Rotorua Boys' High School student says he can't wait to lead his team out in front of a home-town crowd.

"I'm pretty excited. It's always good to come back home. I'm really looking forward to it, I have been pumping the boys up about coming here," he said.

"It means a lot to me - we [Chiefs] have got a special field at Waikato, but it's awesome to come here and play in front of my friends and family."

Messam, 31, has years of experience playing against South African teams so knows what to expect.

"I have been around this competition for a while - they're a big, physical pack. We need to match them physically."

Since narrowly missing out on selection for the 2011 Rugby World Cup, Messam has become a mainstay of the All Blacks with 42 appearances to date.

Although he is expected to be a shoo-in for the squad flying to the UK in September for this year's tournament, he is not letting himself think beyond the Super Rugby season.

"I'm just taking one campaign at a time. If I perform well ... "

Meanwhile in team news, Bay of Plenty's Johan Bardoul celebrates signing a new two-year contract this week by being named in the starting 15.

The blindside flanker has answered an SOS from head coach Dave Rennie who has a major locking crisis on his hands.

Bardoul has played the odd game for Mount Maunganui and Bay of Plenty at lock but it will be a new challenge at this level.

Either Michael Fitzgerald or former Chief and All Black Ross Filipo, who was called into the side this week as cover, will partner Bardoul in the second row.

Tim Nanai Williams returns to the squad on the bench but James Lowe is still out with a recurring shoulder injury.

All Blacks halfback Augustine Pulu assumes the starting role from Brad Weber, who shifts to the reserves, in an obvious move to try and counter the sheer size of the Bulls pack. Pulu's more robust physique has given him the nod against the huge Bulls loose trio.

The Bulls are top of the South African conference, while the Chiefs are second in the New Zealand conference.

Chiefs v Bulls
Tonight, kick-off 7.35, Rotorua International Stadium

Chiefs team: 1 Mitchell Graham, 2 Hika Elliot, 3 Ben Tameifuna, 4 Michael Fitzgerald/Ross Filipo, 5 Johan Bardoul, 6 Liam Messam (c), 7 Sam Cane, 8 Michael Leitch, 9 Augustine Pulu, 10 Damian McKenzie, 11 Bryce Heem, 12 Anton Lienert-Brown, 13 Charlie Ngatai, 14 Hosea Gear, 15 Tom Marshall. Reserves: 16 Quentin MacDonald, 17 Siate Tokolahi, 18 Pauliasi Manu, 19 Brian Alainu'uese, 20 Ma'ama Vaipulu, 21 Brad Weber, 22 Andrew Horrell, 23 Tim Nanai-Williams.