Speedy Chiefs winger Sosene Anesi shifts to fullback for the game against the Hurricanes in Hamilton tonight. Photo / Sarah Ivey
It seems ridiculously early to be talking about important Super 14 clashes.
It's round two, March is still some way off, the Australian cricketers arrive next week, but the Chiefs and Hurricanes have plenty riding on their contest in Hamilton tonight.
Both lost their opening games - the
Chiefs narrowly at home to the Brumbies, the Hurricanes by some distance in the heat of Brisbane.
And while the semifinals in May are a few months away, these teams who are both harbouring playoff aspirations don't want to leave themselves off the pace early on.
The imperative of winning is probably more important for the Chiefs, who are at home, and with only six of their 13 games in Hamilton will feel the need to make the most of them.
"It would be nice to hop on that plane to South Africa in a pretty good state," coach Ian Foster said, although he disputes that failure to win their first two games is necessarily fatal to their ambitions.
"That's not quite the truth, but the fact is if you lose the first you desperately want to win the second. This promises to be a game in which we'll see which team handles it best."
Both have made changes, the Hurricanes partly out of necessity, the Chiefs primarily to get more work out of players before the squad head to South Africa tomorrow.
The Chiefs back three won't lack pace, with Sosene Anesi switching to fullback and Lelia Masaga and Roy Kinikinilau getting their first starts; Brendon Leonard is a sparky operator at halfback and loosehead prop Craig West - up against All Black Neemia Tialata - and lock Toby Lynn, also new to the Super 14 this season, were important contributors to Waikato's Air New Zealand Cup victory last year and can earn their spurs tonight.
Tana Umaga takes over the Hurricanes captaincy and Conrad Smith's centre position, with Smith sidelined by a facial injury. They have a new halfback, Alby Mathewson, and a pack shorn of a cluster of reconditioning All Blacks, and flanker Nili Latu, who is with Tonga for their World Cup match against Korea in Auckland tomorrow.
