Mils stays at fullback - for now

Expect Mils Muliaina to turn out at centre for the Chiefs in the Super 14 - but don't hold your breath.

The All Black fullback will line up in the No 15 shirt for their third-round clash with the Force in Perth early on Saturday.

And although he's aware of a chorus of drums beating for Muliaina as the ideal candidate to replace the luckless Conrad Smith, who broke a leg last weekend, Chiefs coach Ian Foster has compelling reasons for keeping Muliaina at fullback.

In Foster's assessment, all the talk promoting Muliaina as the best fit No 13 in the country is just that.

He said he'd had no communication from the All Black selectors and pointed out his primary consideration is doing what's best for the Chiefs.

And the fact 25-year-old Muliaina has not exactly been beating down his door asking for a switch of position tells Foster plenty.

"Why would he right now when he's the encumbent All Black fullback?" Foster said from Perth last night. "The other question people should be asking is not is he the best centre option, but if he did go to centre who's the All Black fullback."

Foster said Muliaina, who joined the Chiefs this year from the Blues, had displayed his skills at centre during the NPC last year "and if there is a desire to put him there [for the All Blacks] he can adjust very quickly".

He said it remained"a definite possibility" that Muliaina, who has played 35 tests almost exclusively at fullback, will turn out at centre at some point in the Super 14.

"At this stage he's very keen to play fullback. That's where he's settled, he's in a new environment, learning how we operate and we need to give him time to settle into our pattern."

All Black halfback Byron Kelleher returns for Jamie Nutbrown for the Force game in the sole backline change, but gone from the pack are flanker Steven Bates, lock Bernie Upton, prop Deacon Manu and hooker Tom Willis as Foster reworks his resources in search of a first win.

Kristian Ormsby gets a start at blindside flanker and Jono Gibbes did enough in his 20 minutes against the Cats to signify his readiness to resume starting and captaincy duties.

* Chiefs v Force, Perth, 12.05am Saturday 

Chiefs team:

Mils Muliaina, Sosene Anesi, Mark Ranby, Sam Tuitupou, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Stephen Donald, Byron Kelleher, Sione Lauaki, Marty Holah, Kristian Ormsby, Jono Gibbes (captain), Sean Hohneck, Simms Davison, Aleki Lutui, Ben Castle. Reserves: Tom Willis, Deacon Manu, Bernie Upton, Steven Bates, Jamie Nutbrown, Loki Crichton, Lelia Masaga.