Super Rugby

The veteran prop's been struggling with a muscle tear in his right shoulder but has survived what appeared to be a busy training session in Christchurch on Tuesday.

Franks has to get through the full week to be considered for Saturday night's final round robin game against the Rebels. 

"It was great for him to get a good session in today," said assistant coach Ronan O'Gara. "He's tracking along nicely.

"He's been out for a substantial amount of time, so you have to be careful. He's such a prized asset that you've got to make sure you get his return to play right."

Those will be will be the driving forces behind the Waratahs in their last three games, according to Kurtley Beale, despite the fact NSW will need a miracle to make the finals.

The Waratahs crashing to an eighth loss for the season on Saturday night against the Jaguares left them sitting in 12th on the ladder, eight points behind the Brumbies and seven behind the Rebels, and four points outside the top eight.

Pita Sowakula, Atu Moli and Etene Nanai-Seturo scored first half tries for the Chiefs, who spent virtually all of the second spell defending as the Reds controlled the ball but were unable to breach the home side's impressive defensive line.

Taniela Tupou scored the only points of the second half with a try from a sustained buildup as the visitors hammered at the Chiefs' line.

The visitors forced the Chiefs to make 240 tackles in the game.

The Reds made less than 90.

Cane has been named in the reserves for the Chiefs super rugby match against the Blues in Auckland on Saturday night as both sides battle to keep their playoff hopes alive.

The 27-year-old Cane suffered a fracture in a vertebrae on the right side of the neck playing against the Springboks in Pretoria in October.

He wore a brace for three months after surgery and got the all clear to resume contact training early last month.

Emergency surgery found there was no nerve damage and a gradual rehabilitation culminated in a return to contact work last month.

Weber's second try came after a breath-taking buildup, with replacement back Alex Nankivell bursting out of defence and fullback Solomon Alaimalo punching a hole through midfield before giving off to the pint-sized number nine in the 70th minute.

The Chiefs, who also had tries from flanker Mitch Karpik and Anton Lienert-Brown, held on in a nail-biting finish to keep their slender finals hopes alive.

The Chiefs are in 11th place, three points outside the top eight playoff places.

Perenara missed the Hurricanes 29-19 win over the Rebels last Saturday as he had the second of his All Black rest weeks but returns for what will be his 121st appearance for the club.

Wing Ben Lam also returns after a two week absence because of a calf strain while Toby Smith has been named at loosehead prop in in the only other changes to the starting XV.

Lam's inclusion sees Chase Tiatia move to the bench while Richard Judd, who started at halfback against the Rebels, drops out of the match-day squad after he suffered a minor shoulder injury.

Smith suffered the injury in the Highlanders draw against the Chiefs in Dunedin at the weekend.

His injury raises concern in the All Black camp too with utility back Damian McKenzie already ruled out of the World Cup with a serious knee injury.

Highlanders assistant coach Glen Delaney says they're getting used to operating without key players.

"We've had guys dropping out throughout the year (through injury). We lost Aaron Smith for a bit, we had Liam (Squire) out for a bit and Waisake (Naholo's been out for a bit," said Delaney.

Jordie Barrett, brother Beauden and flanker Ardie Savea returned from an All Blacks rest week to fire up the Hurricanes, who could only draw 23-23 with the Chiefs at their last meeting in March.

Jordie reminded All Blacks coach Steve Hansen of his World Cup aspirations as Hansen looks at the makeup of his back three for the tournament in Japan after utility back Damian McKenzie ruptured a knee ligament and was ruled out for the rest of the year.

Led by an outstanding performance from lock Jackson Hemopo, the visitors pack laid the platform for their side to run in eight tries in Tokyo on Friday night (NZ time).

The Highlanders forwards obliterated the Sunwolves' scrum at will, even after they had replaced their entire front row, and dominated the contact area to force errors before moving back into play-off contention in fifth place overall on 23 points.

The result also lifted the Highlanders past the Blues into third in the New Zealand conference.

The decision by organiser SANZAAR to revert to a purely southern hemisphere Super Rugby competition was a major blow for Japan and those who champion the growth of the game, as the nation prepares to showcase its development as hosts of the World Cup.

Leitch, who hasn't featured for the Sunwolves this season due to commitments with the national team, believes this is a mistake and that exposure to higher levels of competition is the only way to grow the sport he loves.

"It feels like the strong teams play within themselves and won't let anyone else in," Leitch said.