Super Rugby

Ngatai to miss Chiefs clash against Rebels

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The Chiefs will return from their Super Rugby bye this week without midfielder Charlie Ngatai who will miss the match in Hamilton due to concussion.

Second five-eighth Ngatai will miss Saturday’s match at the Stadium Waikato as he has not fully recovered from an incident of concussion which he suffered late in the match against the Highlanders on May 7.

Chiefs coach Dave Rennie said that despite the Chiefs having a bye last weekend Ngatai has still not come right.

“He still had symptoms this morning (Tuesday), they were pretty minor, but it counts him out,” Rennie told Stuff.

The injury is a blow for the Chiefs and Ngatai as he has been in top form this season and is hoping to add to his one All Blacks cap during next month’s series against Wales.

Twenty-five-year-old Ngatai started the season strongly but injured his shoulder against the Blues on April 8. After the bye he was named to play against the Hurricanes but was pulled from the squad before the match and then missed the match against the Sharks.,

Ngatai the played against the Highlanders and although he was injured in the match he played on until full time.

Chiefs coach Rennie has spent much of the time over the bye looking at the way the Chiefs played against the Highlanders and co-captain Sam Cane said that they had held a “brutal” review.

“It was a really good session because the answers came from us as players,” said Cane.

“If you look at it closely, there’s numerous little things – I won’t say what they are – but at this level small margins make a big difference,” Cane said.

“So if we get back to doing some of those really small things well that give other guys a little bit more space, a little bit more opportunity, hopefully we’ll get back on track.”

Rennie added that the the defeat was “a good learning curve” for the team and they have a clear idea of what needs to be done.

The coach said the defeat which ended a seven match winning run had highlighted how they had been able to clinical in their point scoring even when they didn’t have a lot of possession.

“It hasn’t dented our confidence, we know we’re capable of beating anyone,” Rennie said.

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