Sam Cane. Photo / Brett Phibbs.
Chiefs co-captain Sam Cane is touch and go to be ready for Friday night's Super Rugby opener against the Highlanders in Dunedin, while halfback Tawera Kerr-Barlow is primed to take on Aaron Smith.
Cane is battling an ankle issue, but will not take the field unless he is 100 percent.
His replacement, coach Dave Rennie has confirmed, should one be needed, will be either Lachlan Boshier or Mitch Karpik, both good opensides over the ball. The decision will be made on Wednesday when the match-day squad is named.
"I'm pretty much getting through full trainings, but it's a long season so I don't want to come back one or two weeks too early and have to manage it through the season," Cane says.
Whether he plays or not, he has yet to master why the Highlanders have had the wood on them in the last six encounters, though the pack examination and an accurate kick-chase game always offer stern tests for the Chiefs. Last season the Highlanders edged both encounters, 26-13 and 25-15.
"I hate to admit it, but it's true, they've had our number. There have been some close ones, but they seem to come out on top. They are a really good side and play particularly well down there. Their ABs run the cutter and the others just do their job around them," Cane says.
