KEY POINTS:
Some good news at last for the Chiefs: no one tripped over the meal trolley, jammed fingers in the toilet door or copped a flying bag on the head on their flight to South Africa.
After the last few weeks of medical mishaps, that's a plus for the
squad who are in Cape Town preparing for the first leg of their three-game Super 14 trip, against the Stormers early on Saturday.
Despite having lost their first two matches of the championship, at home to the Brumbies and the Hurricanes, a glance at the points table provides a degree of comfort.
The Chiefs have picked up three bonus points, and with only two teams, the Sharks and the Blues, unbeaten, the ladder remains congested.
"I don't think we need to have too many concerns about the table at this stage," coach Ian Foster said from Cape Town yesterday. "We are picking up points and developing our game. It was a step up structurally against the Hurricanes from the previous week, but we need to execute better."
This week is being given over to being more clinical and sharpening skill levels ahead of a game against a side who have been woeful, winless and pointless thus far.
Even boasting a class loose forward trio of Joe van Niekerk, Luke Watson and Schalk Burger, they have appeared bereft of ideas and inspiration.
The Chiefs' pacy back Sosene Anesi was released from Waikato Hospital yesterday after fracturing bones in his neck against the Hurricanes. He will wear a neck brace for the next six weeks. The versatile Anesi was on the right wing against the Brumbies and switched to fullback against the Hurricanes.
At least the Chiefs have two in-form wings in Lelia Masaga and Roy Kinikinilau, and when they name their side tomorrow may opt to give Dwayne Sweeney another run at fullback after a less-than-convincing debut there against the Brumbies.
Despite lineout woes last week, the Chiefs are not about to rush key lineout man Keith Robinson back into action against the Stormers. He is getting over a calf muscle injury suffered before the first round and is targeting the Bulls match in Pretoria next week for his return.
Ditto burly No 8 Sione Lauaki, who is recovering from a broken wrist.
"Robbo did a bit of jogging today but it'd be too risky," Foster said. "Calves are hard to get right so we've got nine or 10 days of hard work ahead."
