Ian Foster could be forgiven for having his fingers, legs and toes crossed when his Chiefs kick off their Super 12 campaign against the Waratahs in Sydney tomorrow night.
The Chiefs, semifinalists last year for the first time, have three players back after lengthy injury breaks and another, All Black
halfback Byron Kelleher, hoping a tight calf muscle picked up at training this week doesn't flare up.
Fullback Loki Crichton is back after reconstructive surgery that ruled him out of the NPC last year; centre Mark Ranby returns after missing the last two NPC campaigns with shoulder injuries; and captain Jono Gibbes will line up on the back of 25 minutes of pre-season rugby, after enough ailments to have kept a GP busy since Christmas.
There have been no danger signs in pre-season, but the championship is of a vastly different intensity and if the Chiefs get through the weekend with no further fitness hiccups Foster will be relieved.
Considering three of his star turns - lock Keith Robinson, hooker Tom Willis and winger Sitiveni Sivivatu - are still sidelined, Foster admitted selecting the team was made easier by his limited options.
Ranby teams up with Bay of Plenty's Grant McQuoid in midfield. McQuoid will be at second five-eighth for his fourth Super 12 appearance and although Ranby has spent more time at No 12 than centre, Foster expects him to relish having greater attacking freedom one spot out.
The two wingers, Sailosi Tagicakibau and Sosene Anesi, will make their Super 12 debuts, but their form in the Chiefs pre-season programme has eased any concerns Foster had of throwing them in at the deep end against a good quality Waratahs backline.
"You always want to try and balance an experienced player with a young guy, but I've been really impressed with Sailosi and Sosene," Foster said.
"They've got good pace and shown good confidence in pre-season. I'm pretty comfortable with where they're at."
Kelleher took a limited part in their final training run before flying to Sydney yesterday. He is expected to have a run in Sydney this morning and Foster is confident the nuggety halfback will be right for the match.
Foster said the last 48 hours before the competition kickoff were all about the mental side of the game.
He is aware of the class in the Waratahs lineup, plus their reputation as fast starters in the Super 12.
But his thoughts have been largely on making sure the Chiefs are spot on to hit the ground running.
"In some ways it's an advantage playing away early because you get all the nerves out, stay tight and go into someone else's back yard and really have a crack at them."
The Waratahs have included 11 Wallabies in a strong lineup, but most interest will centre on two debutantes, first five-eighth Lachlan MacKay and flanker Wycliff Palu.
MacKay is tipped for a bright future and Palu has form of another sort, having spent six months in jail for assault outside a Sydney pub.
* Aussie Stadium, Sydney
9.40pm tomorrow
Chiefs
Loki Crichton
Sosene Anesi
Mark Ranby
Grant McQuoid
Sailosi Tagicakibau
David Hill
Byron Kelleher
Steven Bates
Marty Holah
Wayne Ormond
Jono Gibbes (c)
Sean Hohneck
Deacon Manu
Aleki Lutui
Simms Davison
Waratahs
Mat Rogers
Peter Hewat
Morgan Turinui
Shaun Berne
Lote Tuqiri
Lachlan MacKay
Chris Whitaker (c)
David Lyons
Phil Waugh
Wycliff Palu
Daniel Vickerman
Justin Harrison
Al Baxter
Adam Freier
Matt Dunning
Reserves:
Chiefs: Scott Linklater, Ben Castle, Bernie Upton, Sione Lauaki, Kevin Senio, Stephen Donald, Adrian Cashmore.
Waratahs: Stephen Hoiles, Winston Mafi, Nathan Grey, Chris O'Young, Rocky Elsom, Alex Kanaar, Gareth Hardy, Brendon Cannon.
Chiefs forward Wayne Ormond during midweek training sessions at Waikato Stadium. Picture / Amos Chapple
Ian Foster could be forgiven for having his fingers, legs and toes crossed when his Chiefs kick off their Super 12 campaign against the Waratahs in Sydney tomorrow night.
The Chiefs, semifinalists last year for the first time, have three players back after lengthy injury breaks and another, All Black
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