All Blacks captain Sam Cane has suffered another setback denying him the chance to make his first Super Rugby Aotearoa appearance in the northern derby against the Blues in Hamilton on Saturday.
Tightening in his back appeared in midweek. Apart from the obvious concern for the Chiefs, it is also becoming a potential issue for the national selectors who have named him captain of the All Blacks whenever they have the chance to play Test matches again.
Chiefs coach Warren Gatland said the ongoing issue with Cane's back would require medical attention.
"It doesn't seem to come right, and it just flares up again. Unfortunately, on Tuesday he felt good, and he has done a bit of contact, and it has just tightened up a bit.
"Whether it is a disc issue that he needs to see someone about, and whether he needs an injection? He just needs to get that right. We are not taking any risks with him," he said.
The Chiefs got into their first home game of the competition on the back of disappointment over their loss to the Highlanders, courtesy of a last-minute dropped goal, and they wanted to be more clinical on Saturday against the Blues.
Specific attention had been paid to their lineout defence and exiting their half, the latter seeing 13 points conceded as a result of failing to achieve that.
"The Blues were very good last week. I thought they were very clinical in the way they played. They've created a little bit of momentum, after us having beaten them in the opening game of the old competition," Gatland said.
"We know it's going to be a challenge. We've had success against them in recent years, apart from losing last year. Players are very aware of how important Saturday night is going to be, particularly for us, for the remainder of this Aotearoa season," he said.
Fullback Damian McKenzie said discipline would be a big issue for the Chiefs, especially with the number of penalties awarded in games played so far. The team's discipline had let it down in Dunedin.
They had created several opportunities and, with the skilful ball players they had, it was a case of patience rather than looking to score in the first phase of play.
"We've got to hold onto the ball if it is not on to pass and probably at times at the weekend we let ourselves down by chucking the ball away," he said.
With Blues first five-eighths Otere Black achieving a 100 per cent kicking record last weekend it was important the Chiefs denied him more scoring opportunities, he said.