I have to be honest, when Chiefs assistant coach Tom Coventry rang me a couple of weeks ago I was more than a little surprised, writes Ross Filipo.

On a night that hearkened back to the franchise's formative years, the Highlanders created a little slice of history and remained right in the hunt for another.

With All Blacks on his inside going through injury-disrupted campaigns, Charlie Ngatai's chase for higher honours has made him the rock of the Chiefs' backline.

Messam will miss tomorrow night's game against the Highlanders after a knock to his left shoulder during last weekend's win over the Bulls.

With three rounds to go in Super Rugby, the Herald checks out the remaining contenders and rates their title chances.

The clock is yet to strike midnight on Ross Filipo's fairytale return to the Chiefs.

Over the course of 68 immaculate minutes from Augustine Pulu, the Chiefs' halfback picture became much murkier.

The loss of James Lowe would have seemed a grave blow for the Chiefs as recently as a week ago.

A loose forward, a commentator and a debutant - the Chiefs' locking crisis could create a rather unorthodox combination in the second row tomorrow night in Rotorua.

Chiefs hooker Hika Elliot has made a miraculous recovery from a serious neck injury, which has thrust him in to the discussion for All Black selection.

A defeat in Wellington may have handed the Hurricanes home advantage in the playoffs but the Chiefs will hold no fear if a rematch eventually decides the season.

Relief will be washing through the Hurricanes. This wasn't a vintage performance and their 22-18 victory over the Chiefs at Westpac Stadium in Wellington last night will be one they might look back on and feel lucky to have escaped with the points. But the flipside to that argument is that this was another gritty win that shows how far this team has come when the heat goes on.

What was shaping as a showdown between two explosive attacks might now be a little less pleasing on the eye. The Chiefs yesterday suffered a serious blow ahead of tonight's clash with the Hurricanes with both Sonny Bill Williams and James Lowe ruled out

The Chiefs have suffered a serious double blow before tomorrow night's showdown with the Hurricanes in Wellington.

The experimental phase is over and the results are in - Damian McKenzie is set to be the Chiefs' first five for the rest of the campaign.

He is repeatedly touted as the All Blacks' third hooking option but Nathan Harris first must focus on getting back on the field.

It has taken until the 14th round of the season but the top two teams in Super Rugby are finally about to do battle.

The good news for the Chiefs is they have a fortnight to rectify what went wrong against the Rebels before they face the biggest game of the season.

The Chiefs' struggles against Australian opposition were exemplified by a potentially damaging defeat against the Rebels tonight.

The Chiefs will be frustrated by their game which frayed at the edges with some uncharacteristic indiscretions in Melbourne.

Brad Weber will tonight wear the Chiefs No 9 jersey for the sixth time in seven games, having seemingly emerged triumphant in a head-to-head battle with Augustine Pulu.

Losing the world's best player is undoubtedly a blow, but as his Chiefs teammate Sam Cane puts it, "we've played bugger-all rugby with Brodie this year."