Injuries have affected the Chiefs preparation for tomorrow night's Super 12 clash against the Blues in Rotorua.
The Chiefs were last night granted permission from the New Zealand Rugby Football Union to include utility forward Chresten Davis in their squad for the game after injuries to flanker Jonno Gibbes and lock
Keith Robinson.
Davis played for the Chiefs last season and was called into training this week along with Kristian Ormsby to cover the mounting injury list.
With five players ruled out of the opening weeks of the competition through injury, the Chiefs' situation got progressively worse when first Gibbes was ruled out on Tuesday and then Robinson was declared a non-starter yesterday.
Adding to the injury concerns were shoulder problems which have forced first five David Hill and centre Scott McLeod out of contention for the second week.
However, coach John Mitchell has named a team with just three changes from that which took the field in the side's 40-11 loss to the Crusaders last weekend in Christchurch.
King Country hooker Paul Mitchell comes in ahead of Waikato's Guy Coleman while lock Mark Cooksley returns from injury to take Robinson's place and Koula Tukino comes in for Gibbes.
The injury situation for the Chiefs could have been even worse with winger Roger Randle requiring urgent dental treatment in Rotorua for an infected wisdom tooth yesterday.
Randle, who has been one of the stand-outs this year, took no part in training yesterday but has been named in the starting line-up for the clash.
Team: Loki Crichton, Roger Randle, Keith Lowen, Bruce Reihana, Mark Ranby, Glen Jackson, Danny Lee, Deon Muir (c), Marty Holah, Mark Cooksley, Royce Willis, Koula Tukino, Tim Knight, Paul Mitchell, Deacon Manu. Reserves: Karl Te Nana, Nick Collins, Isaac Boss, Chris Masoe, Chresten Davis, Tama Tuirirangi, Guy Coleman.
- DAILY POST (ROTORUA)
