Chiefs flank Sam Cane will make his first start of the Super Rugby season against the Force in Perth on Saturday.

Cane injured his knee in the Chiefs' last pre-season game.

In other changes to the XV, Mike Fitzgerald starts at No 4 lock, Asaeli Tikoirotuma reclaims the No 11 jersey with Tim Nanai-Williams joining Tom Marshall in the midfield, and Mils Muliaina takes his place on the other wing.

Kane Thompson, Tanerau Latimer, Augustine Pulu and Andrew Horrell are all added to the reserve bench alongside 18-year-old Anton Lienert-Brown who will become the eighth player to make his Super Rugby debut for the Chiefs this season.

Meanwhile, Wallabies forward Hugh McMeniman has returned to the Force starting line-up having recovered from a back injury sustained against the Brumbies in week three.

Force – 15 Jayden Hayward, 14 Luke Morahan, 13 Junior Rasolea, 12 Kyle Godwin, 11 Nick Cummins, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Alby Mathewson, 8 Angus Cottrell, 7 Matt Hodgson (c), 6 Hugh McMeniman, 5 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 4 Sam Wykes, 3 Kieran Longbottom, 2 Nathan Charles, 1 Pek Cowan.
Subs: 16 Heath Tessmann, 17 Tetera Faulkner, 18 Ollie Hoskins, 19 Adam Coleman, 20 Brynard Stander, 21 Ian Prior, 22 Zack Holmes, 23 Marcel Brache.

Chiefs – 15 Gareth Anscombe, 14 Mils Muliaina, 13 Tim Nanai-Williams, 12 Tom Marshall, 11 Asaeli Tikoirotuma, 10 Aaron Cruden (c), 9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 8 Liam Squire, 7 Sam Cane, 6 Liam Messam, 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Michael Fitzgerald, 3 Ben Tameifuna, 2 Mahonri Schwalger, 1 Jamie Mackintosh.
Subs: 16 Rhys Marshall, 17 Pauliasi Manu, 18 Josh Hohneck, 19 Kane Thompson, 20 Tanerau Latimer, 21 Augustine Pulu, 22 Andrew Horrell, 23 Anton Lienert-Brown.

Photo: Joseph Johnson/Getty Images