Brodie Retallick has returned to the Chiefs starting lineup for their match against the Blues in Hamilton on Saturday.
The All Blacks lock, who has spent the past five weeks on the sideline because of a shoulder injury, replaces Mike FitzGerald.
In other changes, Augustine Pulu starts at scrumhalf and Andrew Horrell gets the No 13 jersey, with Tom Marshall on the right wing and James Lowe on the left.
Loose forward Liam Squire may get the opportunity to play his first Vodacom Super Rugby match of the season off the bench, having returned from injury, and is joined there by midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown, hooker Quentin MacDonald and prop Pauliasi Manu.
Brad Weber and Bryce Heem both move to the bench.
Chiefs – 15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Tom Marshall, 13 Andrew Horrell, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 James Lowe, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Augustine Pulu, 8 Michael Leitch, 7 Sam Cane, 6 Liam Messam (c), 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Matt Symons, 3 Ben Tameifuna, 2 Hika Elliot, 1 Mitchell Graham.
Subs: 16 Quentin MacDonald, 17 Siate Tokolahi, 18 Pauliasi Manu, 19 Michael Allardice, 20 Liam Squire, 21 Brad Weber, 22 Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 Bryce Heem.
Photo: Phil Walter/Getty Images
