The Chiefs have run into their customary early season injury problems with stars Mils Muliaina and Sione Lauaki ruled out of their match against the Waratahs. But playmaker Stephen Donald says they can't afford to go into their shells if they are to gain victory in Sydney.
Coach Ian Foster was forced to name a considerably altered side from the one that tripped up against the Crusaders in the opening round.
They landed in Sydney on Wednesday without big No 8 Lauaki and fullback/skipper Muliaina.
Lauaki left the field late in the game against the Crusaders with a tight hamstring and Colin Bourke will replace him in the starting line-up.
All Black test incumbent Muliaina had his back seize up during Monday meetings and Mike Delany has taken over at No 15. As a precaution the Chiefs youngest player Jackson Willison travelled as the team's 23rd player.
In other changes Callum Bruce comes in at second five-eighths for Dwayne Sweeney while Toby Lynn replaces lock Craig Clarke.
Donald is adamant the Chiefs have the ability to bounce back despite the disruptions.
"We need a bit more composure right across the park. We were a bit flighty, to be fair," Donald said as the Chiefs looked to push their opening loss behind them.
"We were a bit panicky. In pre-season games things came off for us and in some ways in this game we went into our cages a bit.
"When you look at some of the personnel we've got, us going into our cages is the worst thing possible for us."
Donald blames himself for some of the unnecessary individual tangents the Chiefs went on at times as they went into panic mode in the face of stiff defence.
"I just tried to create stuff out of nothing, I guess, and we're better than that as a backline and as a team we don't need to go down that track. It's a good lesson to be learnt in game one but a touch frustrating at the same time.
"We are able to bounce back from it but this week I think is even tougher going to Sydney against a Waratahs team that probably had the most notable victory in round one. It'll be a big crowd over there and when they get on a roll they back Sydney as their big fortress."
But he believes the Chiefs will be pumped up to back themselves to do the job against last year's beaten finalists.
"It's not rocket science that will get us back in there but the boys maybe chilling out and going back to what we do best.
"By Friday the boys will be back up and we will go over there and express ourselves. I know it's a cliched term to express yourself but I think it's what this team does best and we've got ball carriers who don't need to be caged in."
Donald said while his body was a bit sore, he had come off the ground at AMI Stadium last Saturday feeling it had not been a typical Super 14 game.
"It was so messy and all over the place that it felt almost like glorified pre-season in a lot of ways. It wasn't the brutal and physical game you usually expect."
By going into their shells, the Chiefs' players had felt they had not even played to half their ability.
"I guess that's what makes it frustrating. You'd almost rather get smacked by 20 points than get close when you're not playing anywhere near your best," he said.
Loose forward Liam Messam will step up to captain the team at the Sydney Football Stadium.
"We've had to deal with some disruptions this week. Mils' situation has given us the opportunity to hand the captaincy over to Liam who has clearly established himself as a leader within our camp," said Foster.
"We're set for our second tough encounter. While it is a short turn around from last Saturday's Crusaders game, we're well prepared and have worked hard in training this week."
"We know that this match gives us a really good opportunity to show growth from the Crusaders game. The Waratahs are a formidable team having just come off a convincing win over the Hurricanes last week."
CHIEFS: 15 Mike Delany, 14 Lelia Masaga, 13 Richard Kahui, 12 Callum Bruce, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Stephen Donald, 9 Brendon Leonard, 8 Colin Bourke, 7 Tanerau Latimer, 6 Liam Messam (c), 5 Kevin O'Neill, 4 Toby Lynn, 3 Ben May, 2 Hika Elliot, 1 Sona Taumalolo.
Reserves: 16 Aled de Malmanche, 17 James McGougan, 18 Craig Clarke, 19 Serge Lilo, 20 Toby Morland, 21 Dwayne Sweeney, 22 James Wilson.
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