Chiefs hand Bruce debut

Former Highlanders centre Callum Bruce will his make his Chiefs debut against the Blues at Eden Park on Saturday.

Former Highlander raring to go

Former Highlanders centre Callum Bruce will his make his Chiefs debut at centre in the team's Super 14 opener against the Blues at Eden Park, Auckland on Saturday. Bruce, who is also a competent fly-half, adds experience and tremendous speed to what is already a dangerous-looking Chiefs backline, which includes Mils Muliaina, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Sosene Anesi and Stephen Donald. However, the Chiefs might be without the services of All Black scrum-half Brendon Leonard, who is battling an ankle injury he sustained at training on Tuesday. Jamie Nutbrown, who is no stranger to Super 14 rugby, will be the link between the Chiefs forward pack and the backline in Leonard's absence on Saturday. Leonard is bracketed on the bench with Chiefs' wider training group half-back David Bason and it will only be determined on matchday whether he will actually play or not. Chiefs captain Jono Gibbes will start with a new lock partner in Kevin O'Niell, who joined the Waikato-based team from the Crusaders late last year. Lock Toby Lynn was the only Chiefs player not considered for selection this week due to an ankle injury. Chiefs: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Sosene Anesi, 13 Richard Kahui, 12 Callum Bruce, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Stephen Donald, 9 Jamie Nutbrown, 8 Sione Lauaki, 7 Tanerau Latimer, 6 Liam Messam, 5 Kevin O'Neill, 4 Jono Gibbes (c), 3 Ben Castle, 2 Tom Willis, 1 Simms Davison.
Replacements: 16 Aled de Malmanche, 17 Ben May, 18 Kristian Ormsby, 19 Hayden Hopgood, 20 Brendon Leonard/David Bason, 21 Dwayne Sweeney, 22 Lelia Masaga