Robinson's return now unlikely

All Black Keith Robinson's attempted return to the Chiefs for this Super 12 rugby season looks all but over.

Robinson was still flat on his back at home today nursing an aggravation of his long-standing back injury, suffered during afternoon lineout drills on Saturday afternoon that forced him out of his comeback game against the Sharks a few hours later.

The hard-working lock had been sidelined from top rugby for nine months since last year's All Blacks test against the Pacific Islanders, but did manage 40 minutes of club rugby for Morrinsville Sports on March 25.

"It's the same old injury and there's been no improvement," Chiefs doctor Zig Khouri said today.

"He's still at home flat on his back and he won't be training this week and won't be playing."

While a call has still to be made on whether the Chiefs still take Robinson with them to South Africa on Saturday after playing the Cats at home on Friday night, it seems unlikely he would be risked on tour. Long airline flights have been known to aggravate back injuries.

The Chiefs bounced off the bottom of the table and up to ninth spot with their 40-5 win over the Sharks at Waikato Stadium, keeping slim playoff hopes alive with their second win and first bonus point.

However, they do have injury worries among their forwards.

Captain Jono Gibbes missed the latest match with a hamstring tear, while stand-in skipper and hard-working No 8 Steven Bates sprained a hamstring tendon behind his knee in that match.

"It has the potential to be serious but it could be anything from a week to three weeks. We'll probably be making a call on him today or tomorrow on whether he plays this week," Dr Khouri said of Bates.

Meanwhile promising Sharks halfback Ruan Pienaar is not seriously injured, despite being taken from the field by motorised stretcher at halftime on Saturday night with his neck in a brace.

Pienaar, 21, took a blow to his neck in a freak accident when he was flung away from a ruck by Chiefs lock Sean Hohneck and one of his own teammates ran into him.

He was discharged from Waikato Hospital the same night.

- NZPA