Fresh off the disappointment of their Super Rugby Aotearoa final defeat, the Chiefs are facing a locking crisis for their Trans-Tasman opener against the Force in Perth on Saturday night.
Coach Clayton McMillan on Tuesday revealed they would be having to dig deep into, and, really, beyond, their second-row reserves, with both Mitchell Brown and Naitoa Ah Kuoi to miss the trip to Western Australia.
Brown, who had started the decider in Christchurch before being replaced at halftime, had picked up an ankle sprain, McMillan said, while his replacement, Ah Kuoi, is another who hasnt pulled up well enough from the 24-13 loss at Orangetheory Stadium.
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A dinged up Naitoa Ah Kuoi wont be making the Chiefs trip to Perth.
Hes just dinged up, hes got bruises and cuts all over himself, so in his own best interests, we thought wed just leave him behind, McMillan said of the 22-year-old, who he also noted had just returned from a concussion a couple of weeks ago.
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Its a long campaign, and our locks in particular have shouldered a heavy load. I just dont think, with the travel and the short turnaround, that we needed to go down that track this early in the Trans-Tasman competition.
The Chiefs have of course been operating without All Blacks star Brodie Retallick, whose Japan side Kobe lost their Top League quarterfinal last weekend but who wont arrive and quarantine in time to play any part in the Trans-Tasman campaign, while uncapped Laghlan McWhannell (knee) has been sidelined for a third straight season.
Last years All Black debutant Tupou Vaai and Super Rugby rookie Josh Lord are the only fit locks, then, in the Chiefs squad, with pre-season injury replacement Samipeni Finau generally a loose forward but who has also filled in in the second row still another week away with his shoulder injury.
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Mitchell Browns ankle sprain means he will miss the Chiefs clash against the Force.
That means Bay of Plenty and Tonga loose forward Zane Kapelis sudden rise is set to continue, having come from nowhere to be a standout in the Chiefs B side against the Blues a fortnight back, including an hour at lock, and earning his spot on the bench for last weekends final.
Well probably use Zane Kapeli again as a bit of a hybrid, McMillan said. Going over to play in Perth hard grounds, good weather, it may serve us actually pretty well. He did the job pretty well the last couple of weeks and hes loving his opportunity in the environment.
Centre/wing Sean Wainui remains sidelined with the hamstring injury which kept him out of contention for last weekends final, while the Chiefs have now also lost wing Etene Nanai-Seturo back to sevens, with Waikato youngster Gideon Wrampling to remain with the squad after initially just being in till the end of the Aotearoa competition.
Despite the physical and emotional toll of losing a final, McMillan said the team had still done a robust review, as they look to get straight back on the horse, with the aim of making another final in six weeks time.
We get to jump back straight into work, and we see this as a real challenge for our environment and our character, to put the adversity to the side and get up immediately for the next campaign.
Having barely set foot back home on Sunday afternoon, the Chiefs were headed for Auckland on Tuesday evening, preparing for the eight-hour trek to Western Australia on Wednesday morning.
They face the worst schedule of any of the Kiwi sides in this five-week regular season, being one of two teams (the Crusaders the other) to have a 3-2 away-home game split, while due to where their byes fell in the Aotearoa competition and because of making the final, they are going to play 10 games in as many weekends, or 11 if they make another final.
But McMillan said that having been able to rest his frontliners in the dead rubber against the Blues a fortnight ago has meant that the majority of the players have at least come through well, and are excited by the chance to get overseas again.