Liam Messam will return for the Chiefs when they travel to Brisbane this weekend to face a defending champion side that is starting to show signs of life.
The nine-test All Black will bring some intensity back into a Chiefs back row that struggled to assert itself against the lowly Lions during their 34-21 victory in Pukekohe on Saturday. That will be required against the Reds, who were denied a rare win in Christchurch by the boot of Tom Taylor.
The Reds looked the more committed side for the bulk of that match and only bad luck and a bit of bad discipline in the final 10 minutes cost them. They play host to the table-topping Chiefs on Sunday safe in the knowledge they still have everything to play for. Their 5-5 record is unflattering, but the Australian conference is so weak this year that the Brumbies have not been able to make any sort of break on the other four teams.
At 26 points, the Reds are just nine behind the Brumbies. With a lot of home games and derbies over their final six matches, the Reds have a chance, but losing to the Chiefs is not an option. With the Brumbies getting four points for the bye this week, a Reds loss would see them drift at least 11 points off the pace and that would be an almost impossible chase. The Chiefs must be ready for that desperation and be able to counter it with some indignation of their own.
They were disappointing against the Lions. Coach Dave Rennie described them as "flat", which might have been a slightly generous assessment.
