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.

The All Blacks' defence of the World Cup feels jinxed. Good men are dropping all over the place. Conrad Smith is the latest, suffering concussion against the Chiefs in Wellington.

Ma'a Nonu was at his best during the Hurricanes’ 22-18 win over the Chiefs in Wellington tonight, extending their lead at the top of the New Zealand conference.

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.

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."

Marty McKenzie hopes he can hang on to the Chiefs' No10 jersey - then have little brother Damian wash it for him.

If the Blues are on the hunt for a new coach, which surely they are, their silence on the matter is potentially closing the door on the best possible candidates.

A week that began with Aaron Cruden being ruled out for the rest of the season ended in much more positive fashion for the Chiefs.

After spending the season in the shadow of his younger brother, Marty McKenzie has earned the opening opportunity to fill Aaron Cruden's boots.

Milestone man Pek Cowan hopes the Western Force will break their eight-match losing streak when they play the Chiefs in Hamilton.

Damian McKenzie's form has seen him touted as an All Black-in-waiting, with that elevation potentially arriving as early as next year.

Four years after suffering heartbreak at the final hurdle, Aaron Cruden's World Cup hopes have been dashed in equally unfortunate circumstances.

Aaron Cruden's season-ending injury is a dreadful blow for his ambitions, but we can appreciate the depth of our five-eighths talent, writes Wynn Gray.

Step up Damian McKenzie. The question has always been when, not if, he'd be an All Black and given events of recent months, the answer might be 2016.