Chiefs await word on Bates and Gibbes

The Chiefs are sweating on the fitness of two key forwards as they prepare to face the Cats in Hamilton on Friday night.

No 8 Steven Bates, who impressed as captain in the absence of the injured Jono Gibbes in the 40-5 beating of the Sharks last weekend, strained a tendon behind a knee in the second half.

"He's improved considerably but we'll have to wait and see over the next 48 hours," coach Ian Foster said.

The medical prognosis is a one- to three-week break.

Gibbes suffered a hamstring tear in the loss to the Hurricanes on April 1. This week he has completed two training sessions.

Foster is cautiously optimistic the popular leader will be in the frame for selection as the Chiefs chase back-to-back wins against South African opposition ahead of their trip to the Republic this weekend.

One player out of contention for Friday night is Keith Robinson, whose hopes of getting back into Super 12 action this season are slim.

The All Black lock is out again with the troublesome back which has sidelined him for several months. Chiefs doctor Zig Khouri said Robinson would not train this week, which makes putting him on a plane to South Africa a remote prospect.

The Cats, with one win from six games and sitting second-last on the table, have lost wing Eddie Fredricks and lock Gordon Gilfillan, with a strained calf and knee injuries respectively.

But in what seems an odd move, another first five-eighths, Willem de Waal of the Free State Cheetahs, flew in last night to bolster the squad.

It's not clear whether de Waal, who is highly regarded as a powerful kicker, will be in the starting XV.

The Cats already have Springbok Andre Pretorius at No 10, but one possible positional adjustment would have Pretorius moving to fullback and the incumbent, Conrad Jantjes, going to the wing to replace Fredricks. The Chiefs have never lost to the Cats in their four home games.