Chiefs 'fit and confident'

The Chiefs are ready to kick off their Super 14 rugby season in South Africa in a better state of preparedness than last year despite the absence of a couple of backline stars.

Last year's beaten finalists play the Sharks in Durban on Sunday morning (NZ time) and look set to field a settled team with as few as three changes from that which started the 2009 grand final.

"There's a good feel in the squad," Chiefs head coach Ian Foster told a teleconference from Durban last night.

"We finished our pre-season in a pretty good frame. We didn't win any of our three pre-season games but, quite frankly, it wasn't that much of a concern – it was more about what happened on the park and, particularly in the Hurricanes game, we created a lot of opportunities and now we've just got to start taking them."

The forward pack were coming together well, Foster said, and in set pieces were more advanced than they were this time last year, ready to take on one of the most physical packs in the competition. Despite the absence of skipper/fullback Mils Muliaina and exciting wing Lelia Masaga for the opening three matches overseas, a focused and determined leadership group had the team on track.

"We enjoyed South Africa last year," Foster said. "We picked up a couple of wins over here and we got a lot of confidence from that, so it's now going to be a matter of rolling our sleeves up and getting stuck into what's really going to be a massive week."

Foster said the tactic of travelling the most direct route with least stopovers and waits had paid off despite the long hours involved in getting the squad to Durban by Monday morning (NZ time).

"We got here in a pretty good state, had a really good day yesterday just limbering up and getting our brains around game plans and stuff, so overall we're pretty happy."

Second five-eighth Callum Bruce left New Zealand with a slight knee strain, suffered in the final pre-season hit-out against the Hurricanes in Rotorua last Friday, but emerged from the travel better than expected.

"There were fears his knee would seize up a little bit with the trip but he's on track at the moment and we'll probably make a decision in 48 hours whether we bring him into contention for this game or not," Foster said.

"It certainly looks medically like he's going to be available but, with 10 other fit backs, if there's any doubt I guess we'll probably leave him for one more week but we'll call that on Thursday."

Tour captain and No8 Sione Lauaki has an abscess on his arm from an infected cut, but Foster said he had bounced back and was much better last night.

If both are cleared to play then the only changes forced on the team from that which started last year's final are at halfback, where All Black Brendon Leonard is back from injury to replace Toby Morland, and in the back three positions where Masaga and Muliaina are absent but test star Sitiveni Sivivatu is back.

Mike Delany is likely to get the fullback spot for the opener with Dwayne Sweeney keeping his wing spot, although Foster is pleased with the way Tim Nanai-Williams has played at fullback in pre-season play.

Foster said the team were "pretty well prepared" for the start of the season.

"We've gone through a pre-season where we've deliberately tried a few things a little bit outside our normal formula and ... quite deliberately haven't overplayed too many people."

They had avoided building and playing a first-choice XV in the pre-season because they faced three weeks of hot and humid conditions and needed to keep fitness levels high. "It's very hot here. It's hotter than normal for Durban (33 degrees today), humidity is extremely high and it's going to be a very interesting task over the next three weeks."

- © Fairfax NZ News