Chiefs co-captain Sam Cane has recovered from concussion and is back to face the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Sunday.

Co-captain Sam Cane has recovered from concussion and is back in the Chiefs' lineup for their Super Rugby match against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Sunday morning (NZ time).

The All Blacks openside flanker will slot straight back into the starting side, with Lachlan Boshier dropping out of the 23, after wearing the No 7 jersey in last weekend's 34-26 loss to the Stormers in Cape Town.

The return of 25-year-old Cane - who collided with the forearm of second-five Burger Odendaal - just three minutes into his side's win over the Bulls in Hamilton a fortnight back, is one of five personnel changes to the Chiefs' starting XV.

They have opted to slide experienced forwards Hika Elliot, Dominic Bird and Liam Messam onto the bench. Hooker Brayden Mitchell will start for the franchise for the first time, while Taleni Seu jumps into the second row and Mitchell Brown will play at blindside flanker.

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There is one tweak in the backline, with Stephen Donald left out of this match, which sees Sam McNicol get his first start of the season, at centre, with Anton Lienert-Brown moving to second five-eighth.

Halfback Finlay Christie is reinstated on the bench after missing the Stormers match through illness. His absence allowed a brief debut for midfielder Alex Nankivell, who will suit up on the pine again this time.

This is the Chiefs' second match of three on their overseas trek, with a stop-in in Perth against the Force on their way home next weekend. Last weekend's defeat was their first of the season, and they sit third in the New Zealand Conference - equal on points with the Hurricanes, two back from the unbeaten Crusaders.

The Cheetahs are coming off a bye and sit second in the Africa 1 Conference, though with a 2-6 record they are a whopping 17 points adrift of the unbeaten Stormers.

They are also sure to find motivation from Sanzaar's announcement last weekend of a three-team cut from next year. Two South African teams are to go and the Cheetahs are being talked of as one of those.

Chiefs: Damian McKenzie, Toni Pulu, Sam McNicol, Anton Lienert-Brown, James Lowe, Aaron Cruden (co-c), Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Michael Leitch, Sam Cane (co-c), Mitchell Brown, Brodie Retallick, Taleni Seu, Atu Moli, Brayden Mitchell, Kane Hames. Reserves: Hika Elliot, Siegfried Fisi'ihoi, Sefo Kautai, Dominic Bird, Liam Messam, Finlay Christie, Alex Nankivell, Shaun Stevenson.