Kahui set to return for Chiefs
May 27 2009
Star centre Richard Kahui looks set to make his return to the Chiefs starting line-up for Saturday's Super 14 Final against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld.
After being forced to sit out the Chiefs last two matches due to a calf injury, Kahui took part in his first training session in Pretoria on Tuesday without any problems.
"I was actually a bit nervous because I wasn't sure how well it was going to be after the plane flight but it's going pretty well at the moment," he told NZPA.
Kahui admitted he was on the edge of his seat while watching his side narrowly beat the Hurricane's in last weekend's semi-final at Waikato Stadium.
"Obviously when you play rugby you don't want to be sat around watching especially in big games like that," said the 23-year-old, who is expected to be named in Graham Henry's New Zealand squad on Sunday.
"It was a bit tough to watch your mates but the guys did a great job against a good Hurricanes side."
It is a far different prospect facing the Chiefs this weekend in front of what will be a sold-out 55,000-strong parochial crowd in Pretoria.
Not only are the Bulls unbeaten at home this season but the Chiefs, who lost 33-27 at the same ground just over a month ago, have the travel factor and playing at altitude to contend with as well.
"All that adversity has pulled us even tighter together," Kahui said. "We know the last time we were here we probably didn't play as well as we could have and narrowly lost.
"We know we're good enough to beat this side if we play to the way we plan to play. We can't let them get a roll on because they are the sort of side that like to get their tails up."