International player of the year Brodie Retallick will be missing as the in-form Waikato Chiefs seek to maintain their winning start to the Super Rugby season against the Otago Highlanders on Friday.
The All Blacks lock injured his right shoulder in last week's impressive win over the Canterbury Crusaders and looks set to miss the Chiefs' next three matches, including the tour of South Africa.
Retallick's unavailability means Michael Fitzgerald will move from blindside flanker to lock and rookie Johan Bardoul will take over the No.6 jersey against the Highlanders.
The Chiefs, buoyed by the return of superstar Sonny Bill Williams from rugby league, have looked the part with wins over Auckland Blues, ACT Brumbies and the Crusaders to stake an early claim for a third Super Rugby title.
“We're happy with three wins and five points (scoring bonus point) is no easy feat against a quality outfit like the Crusaders,” Williams said.
“Watching from afar in the last couple of years, there have been some awesome games and it's just nice to be back and getting a win that is very hard to come by.”
The Highlanders last won in Hamilton in 2012, but the Dunedin-based side have only beaten the Chiefs three times in their last 15 encounters.
The return of Springbok hard man Schalk Burger is expected to stiffen the Western Stormers forward pack for their South African derby with the Coastal Sharks at Newlands on Saturday.
“You could see when the guys joined Schalk in the huddle at training they grew a couple of inches in confidence,” forwards coach Matt Proudfoot said of the 75-Test flanker, who has returned from club duty in Japan.
Together with fit-again locks Eben Etzebeth and Jean Kleyn Burger he is expected to add a steely edge to the Stormers, who lead the Central Cheetahs in the South African conference with three wins.
Wallabies centre Adam Ashley-Cooper is out of the NSW Waratahs derby against the Queensland Reds with a knee injury in Brisbane on Saturday night.
Ashley-Cooper's injury allows Matt Carraro to play his first starting role of the season at outside centre for the defending champions, while powerful winger Taqele Naiyaravoro has been relegated to the bench in favour of Peter Betham.
The Waratahs return from a bye and face a Reds team smarting from their away loss to the Highlanders last weekend.
The Reds will again be without star off-season recruit Karmichael Hunt, who Thursday pleaded guilty in a court appearance to four charges of possessing cocaine.
The Reds have been strengthened for the anticipated fierce derby with experienced campaigners James Horwill and Ben Tapuai added to the starting lineup.
“James Horwill's hand has mended well and it's good to get him back. He has a lot of experience at this level which adds a good balance to the forward pack,” coach Richard Graham said.
All Blacks hooker Keven Mealamu will establish a new Super Rugby record for the Blues against South Africa's Golden Lions in Auckland on Saturday.
It will be his 163rd appearance in Super Rugby, which will make him the all-time leader from retired former Reds, Force and Wallabies lock Nathan Sharpe.
“Congratulations on becoming the most experienced player in Super Rugby history,” SANZAR chief executive Greg Peters said.
“You possess one of the most decorated CVs in world rugby, which is a thoroughly deserved product of your hard work, dedication and an unwavering desire to continue raising both your own standards, and those of others around you.”
In the remaining games, the unchanged Brumbies host the Force in Canberra and the Cheetahs face the Northern Bulls in Bloemfontein. The Wellington Hurricanes have a bye.– AFP