Coach wants Chiefs to be more patient on attack

Chiefs coach Ian Foster. Picture / Bay of Plenty Times

The Chiefs will need to work considerably harder to win step two of their four match South African Super 12 streak against the Cats tonight, says coach Ian Foster.

The 40-5 defeat of the Sharks at Hamilton's Waikato Stadium last Friday represented an improvement for a Chiefs team who had previously managed just one win in the first six rounds.

While Foster's men start favourites against the Cats at home, he was wary of their resolute showing in losing 6-23 to the Blues after travelling from Johannesburg.

"Against the Blues they showed they're a difficult team to put away. We're aware of their tenacity," Foster told NZPA.

While the Sharks were criticised for their listless performance last week, Foster believed that detracted from his side's improvement.

"We came on a step or two. We took our opportunities much better than we did against the Hurricanes. The last two games I've been pleased with large parts of our game," he said.

"This week is different. The Cats have shown they're pretty well organised, particularly defensively, and I think we'll have to be a little more patient in attack."

The Chiefs fly out tomorrow for South Africa, kick-starting a three-week overseas trip taking in matches against the Bulls, Stormers and ACT Brumbies in Canberra which will make or break their season.

Foster still thinks their Super 12 season is salvageable but that probably wouldn't be the case if they are toppled by the Cats.

"We're desperate to keep growing because we're disappointed with the start of our season. We've just got to keep proving points."

With regular No 8 Steven Bates sidelined with a knee injury the Chiefs will field a bigger forward pack.

Sione Lauaki will be at the base of the scrum, with captain Jono Gibbes returning from injury at blindside flanker, rather than lock where he has played most of this year.

Cats captain Wikus van Heerden was upbeat despite his team suffering five successive defeats.

They have targeted the Chiefs as possible prey and the South Africans decided on this even before they left the country, Van Heerden said.

"We shall, however, not underestimate them."

Van Heerden said the Cats know what to expect from the Chiefs after they watched a video recording of their last match when they beat the Sharks in Hamilton 40-5.

However, the Sharks were not playing well then and made many mistakes which the Chiefs used to their advantage.

"We cannot afford to make similar mistakes. The Chiefs are dangerous with counter attacks from tactical kicks if you do not hold your lines when following up the kicks.

"We also expect the ball to be wet and slippery again as it was in the Sharks match."

- NZPA