Chiefs openside flanker Tanerau Latimer will join the century club this Friday © Getty Images

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Chiefs assistant coach Andrew Strawbridge says the defending champions need to improve their discipline at the breakdown ahead of their Super Rugby showdown with the Stormers in Hamilton on Friday night.

Stormers captain Jean de Villiers has accused the Chiefs of illegally holding players back at the ruck - something the Crusaders did in their victory over the South African side last weekend. The Springboks skipper, who will reach the 100 Super Rugby-game milestone at Waikato Stadium, said he will be making Friday night's referee, Craig Joubert, aware of the issue. Strawbridge acknowledged the two-time champions had been guilty of doing that in previous seasons but had worked hard to remove it from their game.

"We want to be pretty aggressive at the breakdown but we don't want to act illegally," said Strawbridge. "We're really putting an emphasis on our discipline this week."

That improved discipline also extended to stopping the "silly penalties" they had given away in their third-round win against the Highlanders when the players had played the ball off their feet. "We want to eradicate that from our game," Strawbridge said. "We've got some good habits but we slipped a little bit (against the Highlanders) and we probably don't want to give the Stormers the opportunity to get field position against us with penalties."

Although the Chiefs have made a winning start to their title defence their attack has yet to really fire. A lack of possession has been one reason, but even when they have had the ball it has been slow. Against the impressive rushing defence of the Stormers, generating quicker ball at the ruck is going to be vital.

"We've battled with that in our two games to-date and that hasn't been so much about the opposition as to how we've carried the ball into contact and our attitude at the cleanout," explained Strawbridge. "So that has been a big focus for us."

Chiefs coach Dave Rennie has rung the changes following the bye week. Lock Brodie Retallick (concussion), prop Jamie Mackintosh and No. 8 Liam Squire all return to the starting line-up, while wing James Lowe, inside centre Tom Marshall (thumb) and fullback Gareth Anscombe (shoulder) will all make their first starts of the season. Openside flanker Tanerau Latimer will play his 100th Super Rugby game. Marshall's inclusion means Robbie Fruean, who has impressed in his first two outings for the Chiefs, will have to make his impact off the bench.

Strawbridge suggested it was a "horses for courses" selection and that Marshall was "champing at the bit" for his opportunity. But the assistant coach added: "We're not a team that necessarily puts the best XV out. We try to achieve a lot off the subs bench. We have incredible faith in our whole squad and we try to use our bench astutely tactically."