Rugby: Farewells for overseas-bound Chiefs

Mils Muliaina and Sitiveni Sivivatu will play their last games for the Chiefs before heading overseas next season. Photo / Getty Images

The Chiefs' last match of their Super 15 rugby season in Hamilton on Saturday will also mark farewell for three of the side named today.

Skipper and Mils Muliaina, Sitiveni Sivivatu and Dwayne Sweeney, who have confirmed they will play their rugby overseas next season, are in the starting 15 to face competition leaders the Queensland Reds at Waikato Stadium.

Fullback Muliaina and second five-eighths Sweeney are heading to Japan, while Sivivatu is off to France.

It will also be the last match for coach Ian Foster, who is stepping down after eight seasons with the Chiefs.

Foster has made three changes to his run-on side against the Reds, one of them forced by centre Richard Kahui's neck problem.

Kahui suffered the injury in the draw with the Hurricanes last Friday night and is replaced by Save Tokula.

In the pack, Aled de Malmanche comes in for Hika Elliot at hooker, and Romana Graham for Isaac Ross at lock.

The Chiefs go into the match 10th on the table and looking to leapfrog above the Hurricanes so as to avoid the New Zealand conference wooden spoon.

The Hurricanes, who are a point ahead of the Chiefs, play the Crusaders two hours later in Wellington in what is technically a home match for the Christchurch-based franchise.

Chiefs:
1. Ben May, 2. Aled de Malmanche, 3. Nathan White, 4. Craig Clarke, 5. Romana Graham, 6. Liam Messam, 7. Tanerau Latimer, 8. Fritz Lee, 9. Brendon Leonard, 10. Stephen Donald, 11. Sitiveni Sivivatu, 12. Dwayne Sweeney, 13. Save Tokula, 14. Lelia Masaga, 15. Mils Muliaina (Captain)

Reserves:
16. Hika Elliot, 17. Ben Afeaki 18. Culum Retallick, 19. Matt Vant Leven, 20. Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 21. Tim Nanai-Williams, 22. Jackson Willison

- NZPA