Rugby: Highlanders good test for Chiefs

Dave Rennie. Photo / Christine Cornege.

The Chiefs head to the country's holiday playground of Queenstown with a bit of light work on their minds.

Coming off a 36-0 thumping of the Rebels in the staunchly AFL territory of Geelong last week, the Chiefs will continue to chop and change their line-up against the Highlanders today, with nobody expected to play much more than 30 minutes.

Melbourne were anything but rebellious and the Highlanders will certainly ask more of the Chiefs' defence than the Victorians did.

"It will be a good measure of where we are at," said coach Dave Rennie.

Which might be true, but it's no secret that the Chiefs are already looking ahead to their final pre-season match against the Hurricanes in Taupo next week. There you will likely see a shadow starting XV appear, though over an extended season the concept of a First XV will be extremely fluid.

Sonny Bill Williams will make his first appearance as a Chief in Taupo, not being considered for this match due to his 2m 54s "exertion" against Clarence Tillman.

Co-captain Liam Messam will miss the rest of the pre-season with a calf injury he suffered in warm-ups last week, but is expected to be available for the opening Super 15 match against the Highlanders in Hamilton on February 25.

Next week the Chiefs head into rugby heartland for a bit of inspiration, holding a public training at arguably New Zealand's most famous club. On Wednesday they will train at Waitete RC, the Te Kuiti home of the Meads brothers Colin and Stan.

The following day they will hold a clinic for promising King Country locals in Taupo.

Chiefs squad
Ben Afeaki, Sam Cane, Craig Clarke, Shane Cleaver, Aaron Cruden, Marcel Cumming-Tonne, Mike Fitzgerald, Rory Grice, Andrew Horrell, Richard Kahui, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Tanerau Latimer, Fritz Lee, Brendon Leonard, Tim Nanai-Williams, Lelia Masaga, Maritino Nemani, Ronald Raaymakers, Brodie Retallick, Robbie Robinson, Mahonri Schwalger, Tony Smith, Ben Tameifuna, Sona Taumalolo, Asaeli Tikoirotuma, Kane Thompson, Scott Waldrom, Jackson Willison.