Rugby: The one player key to Chiefs' attacking strategy

Andrew Horrell has been tasked with taking the No10 jersey against the Highlanders. Photo / Getty Images

E-word factors heavily in selection puzzle as first five helped Rennie claim two titles.

Andrew Horrell will bring a couple of contradictory features to the Chiefs' No10 jersey tomorrow night.

While bearing the benefits of a number of outings under the brightest of playoff lights, Horrell may also display signs of recent rust in the first five position.

The Chiefs are confident the former will outweigh the latter and last night installed Horrell at the heart of their attack for the winner-take-all encounter with the Highlanders in Dunedin.

After Aaron Cruden's season ended in April, the Chiefs shared his jersey among three men.

Marty McKenzie was handed the opening opportunity and eventually managed four starts, while younger brother Damian enjoyed a pair of runs after initially appearing the most likely option.

Horrell, on the other hand, has started just once, in last month's 16-15 loss to the Rebels, providing a solid if unspectacular display before again assuming the utility role for which he's become known in Hamilton.

But the 26-year-old was originally signed as a No10 - proceeding to act as an unseen understudy to the ever-present Cruden - and he has featured at first five from the bench this season.

Of more importance to the Chiefs coaches, though, Horrell helped Dave Rennie return two titles in his first two years with the Chiefs, holding a level of intimacy with playoff rugby that proved decisive.

"Experience is probably the key factor," said assistant coach Tom Coventry. "We're looking at getting the most experienced backline on the field as we can, particularly in these big moments. As we know, experience counts for a lot when you're playing in a do-or-die match.

"You bring back all those experiences that you've had over the last few seasons, so we're going to rely pretty heavily on Hozza's experience this weekend."

In case the repeated references failed to offer a hint, the E-word factored heavily into the selection puzzle, especially in a backline shorn of Charlie Ngatai (concussion), Tom Marshall (knee) and Augustine Pulu (arm). But it was far from the only consideration.

Were he not required at fullback, Damian McKenzie may have merited more consideration, boasting an ability to break the line conducive to the type of rugby available under the Dunedin roof.

And perhaps, had his past few performances been more eye-catching, Marty McKenzie could have locked down the position he owned for the last three weeks.

But Horrell's direction of play and understanding of his side's attacking structures were eventually pivotal, especially in a team needing to jump-start that facet after the heavy loss to the Highlanders three weeks ago.

An insufficient kicking game was blamed for that defeat and, while Horrell would be tasked with amending that area, Coventry stressed that it was far from a one-man job.

"It comes down to wingers, fullbacks and the midfield taking the pressure off," he said. "Your 10's kicking game is reliant on everybody else on the field being a threat with the ball in hand and also with their ability to kick.

"We've probably relied too heavily on one or two players doing that role. So it won't always fall on Andrew, but he's got a great rugby nous, a great tactical game and we're relying on that experience that he brings to get things going forward."

They must do so without Ngatai, after his head knock against the Hurricanes left Sonny Bill Williams and Tim Nanai-Williams to match up against a Highlanders midfield that recalled Malakai Fekitoa.

The southern side also reintroduced No8 Nasi Manu, while the Chiefs opted to shift Liam Messam to the back of the scrum and experiment with injecting Michael Leitch off the bench.