Chiefs sweating on Retallick injury

The high-flying Chiefs will sweat on the fitness of star All Blacks lock Brodie Retallick this week and will consider how best to use their depth of talent ahead of next week’s South African sojourn.

The Chiefs’ third Super Rugby win from as many games – a 40-16 blitz of arch rivals the Crusaders at Waikato Stadium on Saturday night – has left them breathing down the necks of the New Zealand Conference-leading Hurricanes.

The Canes have an identical 3-0 record and one bonus point, but lead by 16 on overall points differential.

Both sides have more points than any other side in the competition but it is the side that tops the conference that gets to have maximum home advantage in the playoffs, while the best the second-placed team can do is fourth.

You can expect Dave Rennie, Tom Coventry and Andrew Strawbridge to be measured in their approach this week, however, rather than throwing all their eggs into one basket against the Highlanders at Waikato Stadium this Friday night.

They will still field a powerful side but must also be mindful that the team leaves for South Africa at the weekend to play tough games – albeit at sea level – against the Stormers and Sharks before returning home to host the in-form Cheetahs.

Of immediate concern is Retallick, who injured his right shoulder just 10 minutes into Saturday night’s match when hit in a gang-tackle from Crusaders forwards Matt Todd and Wyatt Crockett.

‘‘We’ll know a bit more later on but it’s not great, which is why he came off,’’

Chiefs lock Brodie Retallick grimaces after injuring his shoulder at Waikato Stadium on Saturday night. Rennie said. ‘‘It’s potentially the AC [joint] and the severity of it we’ll find out in the next couple of days.’’

It could range from a week or two due to bruising to a couple of months if the joint has been separated, something being determined by scans.

Either way Retallick’s trip to the republic looks in jeopardy and the Chiefs are fortunate to have Matt Symons and Mike FitzGerald in form at present.

‘‘He’s pretty resilient Brodie – he tends to bounce back pretty quickly and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him on that plane.’’

The Chiefs had the luxury of taking other All Blacks Liam Messam, Aaron Cruden and Sonny Bill Williams off the field before the end of the game to help freshen them up for what is a six-day turnaround this week.

Rennie said they would put out a team that they felt could do the job against the Highlanders and would certainly not be taking the latter lightly while considering what lay ahead.

‘‘They were obviously a lot stronger [on Friday night] and with a couple of games under their belt now they’ll be better for it. They’ll come up here knowing they have beaten us here before and take a lot of confidence from that so we certainly won’t be looking at it lightly.

‘‘What we did tonight won’t count for anything if we let it slip next week,’’ Rennie said.