Dave Rennie is not putting all his coaching eggs in the All Blacks basket for when his new Chiefs contract expires in 2017.

If the strength of a Super Rugby franchise is through its squad depth, then the Chiefs should be on to a winner in Sean Polwart.

Unlike others who often leave NZ rugby after switching allegiance to a Pacific Island nation, Tim Nanai-Williams is keen to stick with the Chiefs.

Successful sports teams always tinker and work on their next ideas. The All Blacks are top of the world ratings and continue to unpick and remodel their strategies.

New Zealand's five Super Rugby teams will announce their squads for the 2015 season this morning. Join us for live updates as the teams are rolled out.

An avid Chiefs supporter is switching his Super Rugby allegiance - but just for one night.

Even though Henry Speight has been busy with the Brumbies for a while now, you still wanted to rub your eyes.

Three years ago, Gareth Anscombe was on track to be an All Black. Now he is likely to find himself playing against the All Blacks in November as the 23-year-old first-five commits to Wales.

What a maddening night for the Chiefs. Their dream is over. They won't win their third successive title and they will only have themselves to blame.

Watch a replay of tonight's live updates from the Super Rugby playoff match between the Chiefs and the Brumbies from GIO Stadium in Canberra.

Of the eight new names to be announced among the Chiefs ranks in Canberra tonight, one will reverberate around GIO Stadium a little louder than most.

Changes will be few when the Chiefs travel to tackle the Brumbies this weekend, but there is one aspect the champs would ideally alter.

They have wobbled and battled, scrambled and scraped their way to the final six without ever looking convincing and yet now they are in the playoffs, the Chiefs have the look of champions.

The Chiefs have kept their hopes of three consecutive Super Rugby titles alive with a win over the Blues at Eden Park tonight.

He arrived under a metaphoric cloud, left under a literal one and yet Ma'a Nonu was nothing but a little ray of sunshine in his second stint with the Blues.

Foot and ankle injuries have combined to make this a frustrating year for Francis Saili, but as the Blues' season comes to a conclusion, he need only look at how he might fit into next year's midfield equation to put a fresh perspective on things.

If it takes until their backs are against the wall for the Chiefs to find true form, then the champs are exactly where they want to be tonight.

The first match in which Blues first-five Ihaia West plays with his short-term future secured could also be the one in which he feels the most pressure.

Ask his coach whether Brodie Retallick should be regarded the best lock in world rugby and Dave Rennie leaves little doubt.

The Chiefs have found form at the vital time to set up a potentially pivotal showdown with the Blues next weekend.

The Chiefs will live to fight another week after producing a timely display to condemn the Hurricanes to a damaging defeat in Hamilton tonight.