The Chiefs are still unsure where their Super Rugby Trans-Tasman clash with Melbourne Rebels on Sunday will be played, as uncertainty swirls around the COVID-19 situation in Victoria.
On Tuesday, the club announced instead of flying home from Townsville to prepare for the Rebels at Hamilton's FMG Stadium, they'll instead head to Sydney on Wednesday in anticipation of their game being relocated to Leichhardt Oval.
On Monday, the fixture was rescheduled from Saturday to Sunday to allow the Rebels an additional day to travel to New Zealand.
But the NZ Government pause on travel to Victoria seems likely to extend beyond its originally scheduled end on Friday 8pm.
That decision will determine whether the Chiefs return home to play the Rebels - who are currently based in Sydney - or stay in the NSW capital.
Last weekend, the Highlanders match against the Rebels was shifted from Queenstown to Sydney's Leichhardt Oval, resulting in the Chiefs' decision to remain in Australia.
The Chiefs now face a three-week stint across the ditch, with a fifth-round showdown with the Waratahs in Wollongong to follow.
Assistant coach David Hill says the changing schedule is merely a product of the times and has had minimal impact on their preparations, as they look to bounce back from their 40-34 loss to the Reds on Saturday.
"We need to be adaptable and flexible," says Hill. "I think COVID has taught everyone a lesson.
"A lot of that decision making is taken out of our hands, so we just trust that the management is doing everything they need to do to put in the right place and keep our safety front of mind.
"We just crack on and do our job...no excuses with the training stuff, we just get ready to play."
Chiefs lock Mitchell Brown echoes Hill's sentiments.
"Preparation isn't affected at all," says Brown.
"Obviously we want to get home for the game and do our part for the community and Chiefs rugby club and try and bring some revenue in, but it's out of our hands.
"We'll just do what we can and keep training."
Join us at 7pm Friday, for live updates of the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman clash between the Crusaders and Western Force
