KEY POINTS:
Stormers 21 Chiefs 16
The cavalry can't arrive soon enough for the Chiefs.
After suffering their third straight loss to a staggeringly ordinary Stormers team, they head to the high veldt and the tough part of their three-game trip to South Africa against the Bulls then the
Cheetahs with morale badly in need of a boost.
They will have centre Richard Kahui available. The talented 21-year-old flew out to South Africa early yesterday having recovered from a bruised shoulder which has kept him out of the Super 14 so far.
They are also likely to have blockbusting No 8 Sione Lauaki back for Sunday morning's clash in Pretoria. A broken wrist sidelined him before the start of the championship.
And fingers are crossed All Black lock Keith Robinson, getting over a calf injury, will also be ready for his first start this week.
"They are pretty important to us," Chiefs coach Ian Foster said.
"It appears we need to get a bit of experience and composure back and I think it's a good time to get them back in there."
On the debit side, there is concern over first five-eighths Stephen Donald, who has strained a groin muscle and is being assessed. One possibility is Kahui will replace Donald, not Bay of Plenty's Cory Aporo, who had gone with the squad in Kahui's spot.
The Chiefs can't complain at their lot. They should have beaten a team who could barely string four passes together and tossed away turnover ball like a clown at a lolly scramble.
Instead, they were inept at critical times. Ball was dropped, penalties conceded, lineouts lost and, in one critical moment, a close-range penalty by Donald flew wide.
"At the key moments we're not clinical enough. It's frustrating," Foster said.
"We're failing to land the killer blow. The newer guys are learning some harsh lessons about playing in the Super 14."
They conceded two poor tries, one when they were a man short as the Stormers went right from a ruck. Wing Roy Kinikinilau was drawn in, but missed the nippy Brent Russell, giving Breyton Paulse a run in at the corner.
Then, with the Stormers' defensive line rushing up, captain Steven Bates marred a decent night's work by pushing a pass, giving Jean de Villiers an easy intercept and 50m runaway.
If the Chiefs were looking for a time when things went seriously pear-shaped, they'll reflect on an eight-minute period from the 52nd minute as particularly galling.
First Donald, whose goalkicking was otherwise impeccable, missed his easiest shot from 20m out, which would have put the Chiefs 17-16 up.
Then came de Villiers' intercept after the Chiefs had won turnover ball yet again and had a lineup out to the left.
They lost another lineout and, after Schalk Burger was sin-binned, kicked the resulting penalty to touch to set up a strong position - and again botched the lineout.
So much of it was head-scratching stuff. One example: how come wing Lelia Masaga, his after-burners poised, didn't touch the ball for half an hour?
Too often, smart options were not taken. Things were attempted more in hope than expectation.
The good bits? The scrum remains in solid shape, lock Kristian Ormsby was a powerful figure and strong source of lineout possession, and burly centre Niva Ta'auso, one badly muffed handling attempt aside, was invariably a handful going forward.
And Ta'uso and his midfield mate, Tane Tu'ipulotu, were instrumental in setting up fullback Dwayne Sweeney's fine try. There should have been others but right now the Chiefs are not playing with sufficient conviction.
The weekend's results did them one favour. The points table remains so close that they are only five points out of the top four.