Rugby: Kahui back as finalists pull no surprises

Richard Kahui returns to centre for the Chiefs in their Super 14 final against the Bulls. Photo / Sarah Ivey

There were no shocks, not even any surprises when the Chiefs and Bulls revealed their Super 14 final line-ups yesterday.

As they had indicated all week, the Chiefs named Richard Kahui at centre. The All Blacks star missed the previous two games with a calf injury but coach Ian Foster said he was now fully fit.

Kahui's recall sees Dwayne Sweeney shift from centre to the left wing, where he replaces the injured Sitiveni Sivivatu.

It's a role Sweeney filled with success earlier in the campaign, with the utility back scoring a hat-trick in the comeback win over the Lions in round eight.

But the Chiefs' Mr Fixit is not blessed with out-and-out pace and he will likely have his hands full with his opposite, Springbok flier Bryan Habana.

That match-up made Foster ponder long and hard about whether Sosene Anesi, who is gifted with genuine pace but has been a bit part player after another injury-blighted campaign, might be better for the job.

"That was definitely tempting," Foster admitted.

Sweeney's extra game time and string of solid performances had swung the decision in his favour.

Prop Nathan White, who hasn't featured this season and was a late call-up to the squad as cover for Ben May, and midfield back Jackson Willison are the two players from the 24-man travelling party who won't feature in the final.

The Chiefs' build-up had so far focused on rest and recovery, with much of the homework on the Bulls being done on the plane trip over, Foster said.

The biggest job he and captain Mils Muliaina had was ensuring players with limited big match experience didn't become overawed by the magnitude of the match.

"We are trying not to get too screwed up about the way we play. It is a final but in a lot ways it is just another game of football when that whistle goes.

"Calmness comes through confidence in your preparation. We have a few guys for whom it is clearly going to be the biggest game they've ever played but we'll just keep an eye on them and make sure they are focusing on their individual preparation."

The Bulls named a predictable side, with suspended centre JP Nel the only big name absentee from a line-up that includes 13 players who featured in the 2007 final victory over the Sharks.

Nel's place is filled by Jaco Pretorius, with Wynand Olivier at second-five-eighths.

Pretoria, 3.30am Sunday

BULLS
Zane Kirchner
Akona Ndungane
Jaco Pretorius
Wynand Olivier
Bryan Habana
Morne Steyn
Fourie du Preez
Pierre Spies
Dewald Potgieter
Deon Stegmann
Victor Matfield (c)
Bakkies Botha
Werner Kruger
Derick Kuun
G. Steenkamp

CHIEFS
Mils Muliaina
Lelia Masaga
Richard Kahui
Callum Bruce
Dwayne Sweeney
Stephen Donald
Toby Morland
Sione Lauaki
Tanerau Latimer
Liam Messam
Kevin O'Neill
Craig Clarke
James McGougan
A. de Malmanche
A. Taumalolo

Bulls: Chiliboy Ralepelle, Rayne Gerber, Danie Rossouw, Pedrie Wannenburg, Haini Adams, Burton Francis, Marius Delport.

Chiefs: Hika Elliot, Joe Savage, Toby Lynn, Serge Lilo, David Bason, Mike Delany, Sosene Anesi.