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The return of captain Mils Muliaina will bolster a revamped Chiefs line-up for tomorrow's trip to Invercargill to take on the Highlanders.
After recovering from a freakish back strain suffered in a video session, Muliaina will be making his first appearance since the opening round defeat by the Crusaders.
His experience will be vital in a backline that sees rookie Jackson Willison get a first start at second five-eighths, Southland fullback James Wilson pressed into service on the wing and former Highlander Toby Morland spell Brendon Leonard at halfback.
With his resources diminished by injuries to wingers Sitiveni Sivivatu and Soseni Anesi, coach Ian Foster has certainly reshuffled his deck. But he stopped short of conceding there was an element of rotation to his selections.
"I wouldn't call it rotation," Foster said. "There has been a couple of changes and losing Anesi and Sivivatu forced a rethink in the backs."
It's hard to blame Foster for doing his best to avoid any association with the dreaded R word but there is certainly an element of squad management in the benching of Leonard and the omission of Callum Bruce from the 22 altogether.
Last year's late-season glut of injuries had impacted on his thinking, Foster admitted, while Leonard had endured a heavy workload for a player returning from a serious knee injury.
"We came into this campaign thinking [Leonard] may not play the first four or five games. He has ended up playing all four and coming through it really well but we sensed last week that maybe there was a fatigue factor. He made a couple of uncharacteristic errors and, while he still played very well, we feel it is a chance for Toby to come on and share some of the load."
That decision means the much-anticipated match-up between Leonard, one of the form halfbacks of the competition, and All Blacks incumbent Jimmy Cowan will be at least delayed.
When - presumably rather than if - it does happen, it won't be on equal terms, with Leonard's fresh legs intended to make a difference late on.
Foster has adopted the same approach with Sione Lauaki, naming the battering ram on the bench and sticking with the impressive but comparatively lightweight loose forward trio of Serge Lilo, Tanerau Latimer and Liam Messam.
There is just one change to the pack that faced the Force, prop Sona Taumalolo replacing James McGougan.
There is deepening concern in the Chiefs camp about the extent of Sivivatu's injury. Initially thought to be a minor shoulder niggle, the injury has not responded to treatment as well as hoped. With Anesi expected to be out for four to six weeks with an AC joint injury, an extended absence by Sivivatu would likely see national sevens flier Tim Mikkelson drafted into the squad.
