Rugby: Chiefs aim to get about Rotorua

The Chiefs aim to turn on the Super Rugby style this season at the Rotorua International Stadium. Photo / File

A return to Super rugby action at Rotorua's International Stadium is welcome, says Chiefs coach Dave Rennie.

It seemed Bay of Plenty fans were set for a period of rugby isolation due to the substandard nature of Mount Maunganui's ASB Baypark and the introduction of Taranaki into the Chiefs franchise last year.

But the Chiefs will tackle the Bulls in Rotorua on May 22 in a positive move for Bay of Plenty rugby.

"We have obviously been keen to go to Rotorua for a while," Rennie said.

"There has been talk in the past that you struggle to get crowds and so on but we plan to spend some time in the community a wee way out from the game. Hopefully people are really keen to come along and watch Sonny Bill [Williams] and a few other names play and we can get a good crowd behind us.

"We are certainly keen to be playing in the Bay of Plenty and, unfortunately, Baypark is just not up to scratch for a lot of reasons. Rotorua is a great stadium, outstanding field, and we are really looking forward to playing there."

Williams' early arrival into the Chiefs training camp attracted most of the attention at yesterday's media session.

Rennie says Williams had attended camp weeks earlier than he had to.

"The All Blacks aren't due in until January 26 but Sonny Bill was keen to come in for a week. He did a PB on the yoyo of 20.1 so he has come in really good nick. That is pretty good for a man who is 106 kilos.

"He has made a positive influence. He is not saying too much or doing too much at this stage. He is trying to get his head around things and get to know some of the boys new to the group."

Rennie has recruited some of the biggest midfielders in Super Rugby in Williams, Seta Tamanivalu and Charlie Ngatai.

"We have a tad bigger backline than we have had in last couple of years so it is pretty exciting ... we have always tried to challenge teams in the past, whether we have the big guys on the field or the little guys with their footwork. Having that size gives us a bit of variety and we can play different sorts of strikes.

"Around those big men it is good having the fast men as well, so we are lucky we have some good combinations."