Charlie Ngatai

Ngatai to start for Chiefs

After missing the trip to Cape Town for the 17-11 quarterfinal win over the Stormers with an ankle injury, Ngatai has recovered and been named at second five-eighth for the clash in Christchurch on Saturday night. He takes the place of Stephen Donald, who was impressive against the Stormers, but will instead play from the bench.

Ngatai ankle 'not good enough'

An ankle injury suffered in the 28-10 final-round win over the Brumbies in Hamilton last Saturday night kept the 26-year-old from travelling with the team, coach Dave Rennie revealed from South Africa on Tuesday evening.

Ngatai went down early in the match, and while he played on, he was then pulled at halftime as a precaution, but in the end wasn't taken on the long haul, with Rennie seeing it as too much of a gamble.

Specialist tells Charlie Ngatai to sit out

After being out of Super Rugby for a year following the head knock he sustained last season, Ngatai returned with a strong performance against the Reds in New Plymouth on May 6, but following the bye he had headaches post-training on May 15.

That saw him ruled out of the match against the Crusaders in Fiji, and the Chiefs understandably played it cautiously in keeping him out of the game against the Blues in Auckland last Friday.

Charlie Ngatai unlikely for Blues clash

After his year out following a head knock last season, Ngatai missed the match against the Crusaders in Fiji last Friday after reporting a headache post-training on the Monday. The team played it safe and kept him from travelling with the squad overseas the following day.

Chiefs coach Dave Rennie said while Ngatai was on the improve, he was unlikely to play a part at Eden Park.

"Charlie's pretty good," he said. "He's had about four days symptom-free. But we're unlikely to use him this week. We want to be really sure.

Chiefs' Ngatai suffers fresh headaches

The one-time All Black has only just returned to the field after a year out with concussion symptoms, making his return 11 days ago in the Chiefs' 46-17 win over the Reds in New Plymouth.

But the headaches that plagued the 26-year-old throughout 2016 returned after training, with no apparent cause.

RNZI reports Ngatai will sit out the Chiefs' match against the Crusaders in Fiji, with Anton Lienert-Brown moving over to second-five and Sam McNicol slotting into centre.

Charlie Ngatai back for Chiefs

Chiefs coach Dave Rennie said Ngatai was ready for selection for their round 11 clash against the Reds in New Plymouth on Saturday night, after three appearances for University in Waikato club rugby.

Ngatai, 26, suffered the head knock against the Highlanders in Hamilton on May 7 last year and despite it not even being picked up on the TV cameras, it kept him out of the game until last month.

Charlie Ngatai set for club rugby return after prolonged absence

Chiefs midfielder Ngatai, who played his one and only test for the All Blacks against Samoa in Apia in 2015, has not played since May 7 last year when he was involved in a head clash in a match against the Highlanders in Hamilton.

The incident was not initially deemed serious but the 26-year-old was unable to shake the effects of the knock and he has not featured at any level since.

Chiefs head coach Dave Rennie told Radio Sport on Thursday that the absence was set to end when Ngatai turned out for his club team this weekend.