KEY POINTS:
The omens are positive for the Chiefs ahead of tomorrow night's crucial Super 14 match against the Crusaders in Hamilton.
Waikato's drought is breaking, the winter fog is back, big grunta cars are preparing to tear up the city streets and coach Ian Foster has named a settled
side for a fourth match in a row.
"We had a good old fashioned fog [yesterday] morning, which is fantastic," Foster said.
"It makes us all feel at home. Obviously we've had a lot of rain, which has been fantastic for the region and, if it clears up on Friday, we'll have happy farmers, happy bogans and happy rugby people."
Hamilton's forecast is for rain today and showers tomorrow, but Foster said he didn't believe a wet match would particularly favour a Crusaders side that has pumped a heap of All Blacks experience back into its pack.
"Wet games come down to attitude and execution of skills," Foster said. "Obviously it's an area where the Crusaders do particularly well but it is an area where we can do particularly well as well."
The Chiefs have made just one change, with the more versatile Soseni Anesi replacing Viliame Waqaseduadua on the bench.
The undefeated Crusaders have made four personnel and seven positional changes to the youthful side that beat the Lions 31-6 in Christchurch last weekend.
Stephen Brett will make his first start in a month at first five-eighths after testing his healed shoulder for 10 minutes against the Lions. Brad Thorn returns at lock and captain Richie McCaw returns on the openside flank.
After recovering from off-season neck surgery, All Black lock Ross Filipo has been named on the bench for the first time this season.
Winger Kade Poki and halfback Kahn Fotuali'i have returned to the squad after being stood down last week for missing a training session.
Assistant coach Mark Hammett played down the absence of injured All Blacks Daniel Carter, Reuben Thorne and Leon MacDonald for a match the Chiefs will be desperate to win.
"We have been without DC [Carter] for a while and we were without him for the first seven or eight rounds of last year," Hammett said.
"Stevie has come back in, so we are pretty confident in being able to fill that spot.
"You do lose experience but sometimes you actually gain a bit more enthusiasm, so it is a double-edged sword. And to say there are any players in this team who are not experienced would be way off the mark.
Hamilton, tomorrow 7.35pm
CHIEFS
Mils Muliaina (c)
Lelia Masaga
Richard Kahui
Callum Bruce
Sitiveni Sivivatu
Stephen Donald
Brendon Leonard
Sione Lauaki
Tanerau Latimer
Liam Messam
Kevin O'Neill
Toby Lynn
Ben Castle
Tom Willis
Simms Davison
CRUSADERS
Scott Hamilton
Sean Maitland
Casey Laulala
Tim Bateman
Caleb Ralph
Stephen Brett
Andrew Ellis
Mose Tuiali'i
Ritchie McCaw (c)
Kieran Read
Ali Williams
Brad Thorn
Greg Somerville
Corey Flynn
Ben Franks
Chiefs: Aled de Malmanche, Ben May, Jay Williams, Faifili Levave, Jamie Nutbrown, Dwayne Sweeney, Sosene Anesi.
Crusaders: Ti'i Paulo, Wyatt Crockett, Ross Filipo, Nasi Manu, Kahn Fotuali'i, Hamish Gard, Kade Poki.
