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Leila Masaga - Source: Photosport -
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Four Chiefs players are returning to New Zealand from Perth today - three with injuries and the fourth due to a two-week SANZAR suspension for foul play.
Lock Craig Clarke suffered a groin injury and winger Sitiveni Sivivatu strained his shoulder in the weekend's Lions match in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Clarke is expected to be out of playing contention for 3-6 weeks, while Sivivatu is expected to be out for two weeks.
Prop James McGougan is also on the plane home due to a back injury which has not settled since he aggravated it in the warm-up to the Chiefs v Sharks match a fortnight ago.
Loose forward Sione Lauaki incurred a two week suspension from the SANZAR judicial committee in South Africa for lifting Lions centre Deon van Rensburg in a tackle during the Chiefs v Lions match. As a result he will also return to New Zealand.
Three replacement players, Chiefs winger Lelia Masaga and Chiefs Wider Training Group forwards Toby Lynn (lock) and Toby Smith (prop) will all fly to Perth to join the Chiefs squad who are preparing to take on the Western Force this weekend.
All three replacement players enjoyed game time for the Chiefs Development team against the Blues Development team on Saturday afternoon at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton.
While the Chiefs Development team lost 24-36 to their Blues counterparts in the hot afternoon match, Masaga enjoyed 65 minutes of rugby.
This was his first return to rugby after rehabilitation from
shoulder surgery back in September last year.
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