Rugby: Time for Chiefs to regroup

With a weekend off before the three-week All Black break in the 2013 Super Rugby season, the Chiefs sit atop the overall ladder and 10 points clear in the New Zealand conference.

They top the Investec Super Rugby table after their convincing 28-19 win over the Crusaders in front of more than 22,000 fans at Waikato Stadium last week.

Chiefs showed their best defensive effort of the season while wearing one-off, coloured 'Waikids' branded jerseys to help raise awareness of the Waikato DHB's Child and Youth Health Services.

More than $12,000 was raised for Waikids through auctions of some of the players' jerseys at Friday night's game and another match jersey was to be sold on Trade Me this week.

The Chiefs will pick up four points this weekend from the bye before heading into a three-week gap for the All Blacks international window.

Dave Rennie says the break comes at a good time for his team. "We were going to Argentina to play during the international window and that fell through, which is quite good considering the amount of injuries we have.

"Initially it was not ideal to have the bye before the break but now it will give us a chance to get some players fit," he said. That list includes Tim Nanai-Williams, Andrew Horrell, Fritz Lee and Ben Afeaki who are all expected to be fit for the Chiefs next home game against the Hurricanes at Waikato Stadium on Friday, June 28.