Super 15: Messam takes axing on chin

Even for a man used to the cruellest cuts at national level, Liam Messam's latest exclusion from All Black thinking must have cut to the quick.

One of the pivotal leadership cogs in the Chiefs' renaissance, Messam has enjoyed his most consistent Super rugby season, but appears to have fallen between two stools: having missed World Cup selection, he has not been afforded the loyalty given to the others in that squad and, at 28, he's not one of the bright, really young things being promoted by Steve Hansen with 2015 in mind.

"You're always disappointed when you miss out on a spot, but it is what it is," Messam said. "You just take it on the chin, keep moving forward and put all your focus into the Chiefs."

The Bay of Plenty product will become the highest capped Chief tomorrow night, when his side faces the Bulls in Hamilton. In doing so, he passes the mercurial Sitiveni Sivivatu, now plying his trade in France.

"It's a nice little achievement but I just told the boys that this game is about us getting our season back on track. The bigger picture for us is to win the Super title, so we've got to make sure we have the right mindset."

It's a mindset that needed re-tuning after a poor second half against the Reds saw them crash to their first loss since round 1.

Looking at the match with a long-term view, a loss wasn't the worst thing that could have happened to them at that stage of the season, and other results meant that they lost no ground to their major rivals for the New Zealand conference, the Crusaders and the Highlanders. It also gave a rookie like Andrew Horrell his first experience of something that older Chiefs had become too accustomed to - losing.

"Nobody likes to lose, but the timing was good for us," said Messam. "It's given us a few lessons to take on board, things that had been creeping into our game. It had been a long time since we lost and we've got to make sure we remember that feeling because we don't want to feel like that again for the rest of the season."

They've had the best part of a fortnight to stew on it, and Dave Rennie has made some moves in the front row, starting with Ben Afeaki and Toby Smith in the front row. Both have recovered from long-term injuries suffered in round one.

"It was frustrating. You want to go straight back out there [and make amends], but it was probably the best thing for us, to get the bodies right, freshen up and get some of that energy back that we had earlier in the season."

The Bulls have made just one change to the side that was pipped by the Highlanders in Dunedin last week, lock Wilhelm Steenkamp replacing Juandre Kruger who moves to the bench. The Bulls have identified this match as crucial if they want to press for the South Africa conference title.

CHIEFS

Waikato Stadium, 7.35pm tomorrow

Andrew Horrell

Lelia Masaga

Jackson Willison

Sonny Bill Williams

Asaeli Tikoirotuma

Aaron Cruden

T. Kerr-Barlow

Kane Thompson

Tanerau Latimer

Liam Messam

Brodie Retallick

Craig Clarke (c)

Ben Afeaki

Hika Elliot

Toby Smith

Chiefs: Mahonri Schwalger, Sona Taumalolo, Mike Fitzgerald, Sam Cane, Brendon Leonard, Robbie Robinson, Maritino Nemani.

BULLS

Zane Kirchner

Akona Ndungane

Johann Sadie

Wynand Olivier

Bjorn Basson

Morné Steyn

F. Hougaard

Pierre Spies (c)

CJ Stander

Dewald Potgieter

W. Steenkamp

F. van der Merwe

Werner Kruger

Chiliboy Ralepelle

Dean Greyling

Bulls: Willie Wepener, Rayno Gerber, Juandré Kruger, Arno Botha, Jano Vermaak, Louis Fouché, JJ Engelbrecht.