Blues and Chiefs tussle over substitute halfback

By WYNNE GRAY

Super 12 neighbours the Blues and Chiefs are vying for the same replacement halfback in the countdown to their Friday night clash at Eden Park.

Both sides want Kevin Senio on their books, but there was confusion late yesterday about who had rights to the Bay of Plenty scrumhalf.

The tug-of-war has come about because of an injury to Blues halfback Steve Devine, while Chiefs scrumhalf Isaac Boss flies to Brisbane today to face a charge of trampling a Reds player.

"New Zealand told me the guy who has been training with us for four weeks, Kevin Senio, was officially called in on Sunday to the Blues," said Chiefs coach Ian Foster.

But Blues manager Ant Strachan disputed that claim.

"We requested him but we can't officially use him," he said. "Kevin is here but we can't bring him in yet."

Strachan said Devine damaged his shoulder in the 38-29 win over the Crusaders and the side was waiting until today for a medical decision.

But the Chiefs, after further consultation yesterday with the NZRFU, were told Senio had been drafted in on a short-term relieving contract with the Blues.

On that basis, they concluded that David Gibson would start on Friday with Senio on the Blues bench.

Should Boss receive a suspension from the Australian judiciary tonight, said Foster, he would have to rethink his ideas about finding a backup to Byron Kelleher.

According to Strachan, if an injured player needed to be replaced for less than a fortnight, then the extra man had to come from within the franchise boundaries.

"If it is more than two weeks then we can pick out of the draft," he said.

Tighthead prop Kees Meeuws was reported to be improving after a back strain removed him from the match against the Crusaders. He is expected to be available for Friday.

A trio of Chiefs, Michael Collins, Keith Robinson and Boss were all cited for a trampling incident at Ballymore. The forwards were cleared but franchise chief executive Gary Dawson said he had asked for an adjournment for Boss so that lawyer Warren Alcock, who flies to Brisbane for the hearing with the halfback today, could research his defence.

Foster will reveal his side for Eden Park tomorrow.

* Star Blues wing Rupeni Caucaunibuca has told his new Fijian coach, Wayne Pivac, he wants to play for the inaugural Pacific Islanders in their July tests against the Wallabies, All Blacks and Springboks.