Image: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
The Chiefs have been stripped of a number of their heavy lifters ahead of their crucial Super Rugby clash against the Sharks on Saturday.
Brodie Retallick‚ Damian McKenzie‚ Sam Cane‚ Anton Leinert-Brown and Nathan Harris will not be part of the Chiefs because of an impending All Blacks training camp ahead of their three-match series against France next month.
The New Zealand Super Rugby franchises are under instruction to rest their All Black players for two matches but the Chiefs‚ who are hardest hit by this rule‚ are in South Africa while the other teams have completed their South African touring duties.
The Chiefs beat the Stormers 15-9 in Cape Town on Saturday and they have only lost three matches this season.
They will be up against a Sharks side that has not only done well against New Zealand teams but will also be smarting from a disappointing defeat against the Bulls.