The Chiefs have made 11 changes to their starting XV to take on the Crusaders in a key New Zealand Conference derby at Waikato Stadium on Saturday night, including four positional switches.
All Blacks Sonny Bill Williams, Brodie Retallick, Sam Cane and Augustine Pulu all return to the lineup, Williams and Cane after being late defections through injury for last week's win over the Brumbies and Retallick and Pulu for their first starts of the season.
Others coming in this week are tighthead prop Ben Tameifuna, for his first start of the year, loosehead prop Pauliasi Manu and fullback Tom Marshall, the latter after missing the Brumbies match through injury.
Mike Fitzgerald makes way for Retallick in the second row, moving to the blindside flank, with skipper Liam Messam changing to No 8 in place of the injured Maama Vaipulu.
In the backline James Lowe moves back to the left wing from fullback with the return of Marshall, former All Black Hosea Gear dropping out of the match 23, while Charlie Ngatai recovered sufficiently from a calf knock received against the Brumbies to move from second five to centre outside Williams.
Tighthead prop Siate Tokolahi, loosehead Mitchell Graham, blindside flanker Johan Bardoul and halfback Brad Weber are all new to the reserve bench this week, Tokolahi and Weber dropping from the starting XV of the opening two matches.
AT A GLANCE
Chiefs: Tom Marshall, Bryce Heem, Charlie Ngatai, Sonny Bill Williams, James Lowe, Aaron Cruden, Augustine Pulu, Liam Messam (c), Sam Cane, Mike Fitzgerald, Brodie Retallick, Matt Symons, Ben Tameifuna, Hika Elliot, Pauliasi Manu. Res: Quentin MacDonald, Siate Tokolahi, Mitchell Graham, Johan Bardoul, Sean Polwart, Brad Weber, Damian McKenzie, Seta Tamanivalu.
