Chiefs forward Kane Thompson will miss the Super Rugby high-flyers’ trip to South Africa to recover from a neck injury.
The Samoan international, who started at No.8 in the Chiefs’ 20-12 win over the Western Force in Perth on Friday night, is on his way home, with coach Dave Rennie saying the injury would benefit from a few weeks’ break.
Thompson will be replaced by Fritz Lee.
The Chiefs’ victory over the Force was their fifth in a row and took them to the top of the table.
They will be in the crowd to support the Wellington Phoenix in the sudden-death A-League soccer playoff against the Perth Glory on Saturday before flying out for South Africa.
They face the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein and the Sharks in Durban in the next two rounds.