Co-captain Sam Cane is one of a number of returnees for the Chiefs' Super Rugby quarterfinal with the Hurricanes.

The Chiefs have their heavy artillery back for their Super Rugby quarterfinal against the Hurricanes in Wellington on Friday night, though there are a few others in the injured crew who weren't able to quite make the cut.

Star playmaker Damian McKenzie returns from his All Blacks-enforced rest, while co-captains Sam Cane (concussion) and Charlie Ngatai (illness), along with hooker Nathan Harris (thigh) and outside back Sean Wainui (shoulder) are all back after missing the 28-24 win over the Hurricanes in the final round of the regular season in Hamilton last Friday.

However, lock Tyler Ardron and flanker Luke Jacobson both haven't recovered from concussions - the former having sustained his at training last Thursday and the latter in last Friday's game - while winger Toni Pulu also hasn't made the lineup, having suffered a rib injury last weekend.

It was also hoped prop Nepo Laulala would make a long-awaited return, having had complications in the recovery from a fractured forearm suffered against the Blues on March 2, but the 13-test All Black in the end didn't receive a clearance.

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Assistant coach Tabai Matson said that quartet should all be right in the frame for a semifinal, should the Chiefs get there, and at a push could even have featured on Friday, but the desire was to have a firmed-up team early in the week so there was minimal disruptions.

BRUCE LIM/PHOTOSPORT Winger Toni Pulu left the field with a rib injury against the Hurricanes last Friday and wasn't able to recover in time.

"One of the things we definitely know in a playoff game is we're better to select the guys that can train all week, that can prepare really well, go down to Wellington well-oiled," he said. "We feel real confident that if we have a good week's prep, that will be more beneficial than maybe having a few more selection opportunities."

On the bench, prop Jeff Thwaites returns from a broken finger, meaning Sefo Kautai drops out of the reserves, having been a late callup last weekend. All Blacks prop Karl Tu'inukuafe returns to the starting loosehead spot, with Sam Prattley to the pine, while hooker Liam Polwart is back on the bench, pushing out Samisoni Taukei'aho.

Liam Messam is back in the starting lineup after playing off the bench last Friday, with Lachlan Boshier keeping his place at blindside, and Mitch Karpik and Jesse Parete dropping to the reserves.

MICHAEL BRADLEY/GETTY IMAGES Flanker Luke Jacobson wasn't able to overcome his concussion to take his place for the quarterfinal.

In the backline, with McKenzie back at first five-eighth, brother Marty goes to the bench in place of Tiaan Falcon; Ngatai returns to second-five, where Johnny Fa'auli filled in last weekend but is now suspended after his high-tackle red card; and Wainui is a straight swap with Pulu.

It's a team the coaches will be delighted with being able to trot out – especially considering the injury dramas they've had to work through this season.

While the playoffs are sure to be a step up in intensity, Matson said there wasn't much different that they were doing this week because of it, and was certainly expecting a different Hurricanes beast from the one they met a few days back.

PHIL WALTER/GETTY IMAGES Assistant coach Tabai Matson says despite it being the playoffs the preparation hasn't changed for the Chiefs, who have their own "recipe" sorted.

"I think most teams have a recipe they go to when they're playing well, and we've got our recipe," he said. "One of the things, when we went down there last time they managed to stifle us [in the 25-13 loss in round nine]. For us, it's about getting our game stamped early on, as we did last Friday, and just taking every opportunity.

"We know they were holding stuff back, even from how we played them in the earlier rounds. I think the battlefield will come down to a couple of things, and we're really happy that we got those right last Friday.

"We're pretty confident with our prep, we know that they're going to bring some stuff we haven't seen, but we'll also be bringing some stuff to the party that they haven't seen."

​AT A GLANCE

Chiefs: Solomon Alaimalo, Sean Wainui, Anton Lienert-Brown, Charlie Ngatai (co-c), Shaun Stevenson, Damian McKenzie, Brad Weber, Liam Messam, Sam Cane (co-c), Lachlan Boshier, Michael Allardice, Brodie Retallick, Angus Ta'avao, Nathan Harris, Karl Tu'inukuafe. Reserves: Liam Polwart, Sam Prattley, Jeff Thwaites, Jesse Parete, Mitch Karpik, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Marty McKenzie, Alex Nankivell.