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Richard Kahui - Source: Photosport
The Chiefs welcome back former All Black captain Tana Umaga for their clash against the Blues at Eden Park on Saturday night.
37-year-old Umaga has been on the sidelines since returning early from the two match trip to South Africa in April with a calf injury.
He will join All Black hopeful Richard Kahui in the midfield, who has overcome a back injury he sustained at training earlier in the week.
With the Chiefs' playoff hopes long gone, Kahui only has three more games to impress the All Blacks' selectors, but significantly, he gets the opportunity to face-off against Conrad Smith and Ma'a Nonu when the Chiefs take on the Hurricanes next week.
In the forwards props Ben May and Nathan White return from injury layoffs to join Hikawera Elliot in the front row, while Tanirau Latimer starts at open side replacing provincial team mate Sam Kane, who's joined the New Zealand under 20 squad.
In the reserves young Waikato loose forward and Chiefs Wider Training Group member Matt Vant Leven makes his debut, while Mike Delany comes into the squad to cover the inside backs and Dwayne Sweeney moves to the Number 22
Chiefs' Coach Ian Foster knows the New Zealand Conference leading Blues will be fired up after two consecutive defeats but says his players are relishing the opportunity of playing a traditional grudge match.
"The Blues will be well motivated as they seek to nail a playoff place and the fact they lost their last home game, Foster said
"For us, knowing we are out of the playoffs is disappointing but having a traditional game like this now is ideal".
Chiefs: Mils Muliaina (c), Lelia Masaga, Richard Kahui, Tana Umaga, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Stephen Donald, Brendan Leonard, Fritz Lee, Tanerau Latimer, Liam Messam, Romana Graham, Craig Clarke, Nathan White, Hika Elliot, Ben May
Reserves: Aled de Malmanche, Toby Smith, Culum Retallick, Matt Vant Leven, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Mike Delany, Dwayne Sweeney.
Umaga and Kahui reunited for Blues clash
