Rugby: Chiefs make one change for Reds

Chiefs coach Ian Foster. Photo / Getty Images

The Chiefs have made one change to their starting team for the Super 14 rugby match against the Queensland Reds in Brisbane on Saturday night.

Hooker Hika Elliott is elevated from the bench to take the No 2 jersey in a swap with Aled de Malmanche.

While there has been the one switch, the same 22 players have been retained from the squad who humbled the Blues 63-34 in Hamilton last weekend.

That win was the third in a row for the Chiefs, who now have a 50 per cent record, having started the season with three straight losses.

While the Chiefs have climbed to fourth on the back of their change in fortunes, the Reds are down in 12th spot.

However, coach Ian Foster was wary of the threat from the Queenslanders, who are coming off a bye after having beaten the high-flying Sharks the previous weekend.

He said his players would head across the Tasman tomorrow taking the same game-by-game approach that had brought success over the past three rounds.

"We have strung some consistent results together in the last few weeks," he said.

"We know we have only achieved that by focusing on each week as it comes. The approach is no different this week."

Chiefs
Mils Muliaina (captain), Lelia Masaga, Richard Kahui, Callum Bruce, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Stephen Donald, Brendon Leonard, Sione Lauaki, Tanerau Latimer, Liam Messam, Kevin O'Neill, Craig Clarke, Ben May, Hika Elliott, Sona Taumalolo.

Reserves: Aled de Malmanche, James McGougan, Toby Lynn, Serge Lilo, Toby Morland, Mike Delany, Dwayne Sweeney

- NZPA