Sam Cane out, Mitch Karpik in for Chiefs' Super Rugby opener

CALLED UP: Bay of Plenty flanker Mitch Karpik has replaced the injured Sam Cane at openside flanker against the Highlanders. PHOTO: photosport

All Blacks and Bay of Plenty openside flanker Sam Cane will miss the opening match of the Super Rugby campaign against the Highlanders in Dunedin on Friday.

The Chiefs co-captain is not completely over a niggling ankle injury with his place in the starting 15 going to another Bay of Plenty player in Mitch Karpik.

"I feel like a 10-year-old kid again, I'm just really excited to lace up my boots and play some rugby," Karpik said after he got the call-up after missing all of the last season with a severe knee injury.

The 21-year-old tearaway with the trademark long, blond locks will make his debut for the Chiefs a year after moving south from Auckland. He is yet to play for the Steamers in the Mitre 10 Cup.

Karpik is one of four exciting young players in line to make their Investec Super Rugby debut for the Gallagher Chiefs on Friday night.

He is joined in the starting lineup by 21-year-old Taranaki livewire Johnny Faauli who will start his first game at second five-eighth, while Waikato hooker Samisoni Taukei'aho, 19, and Counties Manukau halfback Jonathan Taumateine, 20, could earn their first caps off the bench.

All Blacks prop Nepo Laulala will also don the Chiefs jersey for the first time after diligently working his way back from a knee injury sustained in January 2016.

Chiefs team to play the Highlanders at 7.35pm Friday (Chiefs games in brackets):

1. Kane Hames (9), 2. Hika Elliot (104), 3. Nepo Laulala*, 4. Dominic Bird (11), 5. Brodie Retallick (71), 6. Taleni Seu (18), 7. Mitchell Karpik**, 8. Liam Messam (146), 9. Tawera Kerr-Barlow (67), 10. Aaron Cruden (captain) (73), 11. James Lowe (37), 12. Johnny Faauli**, 13. Anton Lienert-Brown (24), 14. Toni Pulu (13), 15. Damian McKenzie (33)
Reserves: 16. Samisoni Taukei'aho**, 17. Siegfried Fisi'ihoi (11), 18. Atu Moli (11), 19. Mitchell Brown (3), 20. Lachlan Boshier (8), 21. Jonathan Taumateine**, 22. Tim Nanai-Williams (77), 23. Shaun Stevenson (7)

*denotes Gallagher Chiefs debut, **denotes Super Rugby debut