Cashmore confident of Chiefs revival

When Adrian Cashmore says the Chiefs are in a good position three games into rugby's Super 12 you take notice, even if they're only ninth.

While Cashmore is in his first season for the Chiefs, he gained 48 caps with the Blues during that franchise's most successful era in their formative years.

Tonight the Chiefs take on Queensland's Reds at Waikato Stadium at 7.35pm and they realise they need make it two wins in a row to stay competitive in 2005.

Cashmore has been named to start at fullback for the second week in a row, an acknowledgement of his performance last week in the win against the Blues that lifted the Chiefs off the bottom of the table.

"It was a huge win, and while it was great to get those points on the board it was just as important in terms of the morale within the team because to be three-nil down at this stage would not have been a good feeling within the camp," Cashmore said.

Cashmore said the thing he liked about the Chiefs was that they were always looking for improvement, both as a team and individually.

"We lost those first couple of games and a lot of teams would have dropped but we managed to pull together and put in a huge effort the other night and that just shows the character within this side that has been developed over the last couple of years down here.

"I like it. It's exciting and with another huge effort this week we can go away with the bye next week and regroup. We're quietly confident, I'd say."

Cashmore rates tonight's game against the Reds as a danger one, even though the Queenslanders have now lost skipper and first five Elton Flatley to injury.

"Against the Blues they should probably have won that. They were well and truly thumped by the Crusaders, which really doesn't do us any favours. "

Born in Tokoroa and brought up in Tauranga, Cashmore played all his Super 12 rugby for the Blues before this year. The 31-year-old was able to lessen the toll on his body during his three years in Japan, where the training sessions were gruelling but the physical contact not so damaging

Cashmore said the Super 12 had changed while he was away in Japan, with more time spent on training at a quality level and the computer-video analysis of play very advanced.

"But it's still a game of rugby. I still like to keep it simple and what we showed the other night -- a bit of passion, a bit of heart -- you can't coach that sort of stuff but that's what's going to get you through at the end of the day."

Cashmore has lost none of his old speed and said the enthusiasm was there to keep him going.

Chiefs coach Ian Foster is looking for the newcomers to his starting line-up, tight-head prop Ben Castle and halfback Kevin Senio, to add value to his team's performance.

He said it was vital to get the set pieces right after some hiccups in the opening weeks.

Chiefs: Adrian Cashmore, Sosene Anesi, Mark Ranby, Derek Maisey, Loki Crichton, David Hill, Kevin Senio, Steven Bates, Marty Holah, Sione Lauaki, Sean Hohneck, Jono Gibbes (captain), Ben Castle, Scott Linklater, Deacon Manu.
Reserves: Aleki Lutui, Michael Collins, Bernie Upton, Wayne Ormond, Byron Kelleher, Keith Lowen, Grant McQuoid.

Reds: Chris Latham, Wendell Sailor, Junior Palesasa, Steve Kefu, Drew Mitchell, Julian Huxley, Josh Valentine, Luke Doherty, David Croft, Tom McVerry, Nathan Sharpe (captain), Hugh McMeniman, Greg Holmes, Stephen Moore, Nick Stiles.
Reserves: Sean Hardman, Anthony Mathison, Rudi Vedelago, Mitchell Chapman, Nic Berry, Scott Daruda, Peter Hynes.

Referee: Tappe Henning (South Africa).

- NZPA