Chiefs 27 Highlanders 21
The Chiefs need almost everything to go right for them if they are to replicate last season and reach the final.
They won last night - crucial after three straight defeats - but they paid a big price. Stephen Donald came off with a head knock and Hika Elliott has
a sore neck but of even more concern is the fact fullback and captain Mils Muliaina suffered a suspected broken thumb.
It was something coach Ian Foster barely wanted to contemplate afterwards.
He already has half a team on the treatment table and he can ill afford key men sidelined with the Chiefs running a tight line between keeping pace with the playoffs and dropping off.
"It's definitely broken," Muliaina said clutching a heavily-bandaged right hand. "I get an X-ray on Monday and if it's serious, I could be under the knife some time next week."
"It's pretty clear it's broken and he will be out for a while," Foster added glumly.
"A broken bone can be anywhere between three and six weeks. It may require a pin and that's when you get into trouble."
Muliaina's absence comes at a difficult time. The Chiefs won their opening three games of the season without him, when he took an extended break after a long 2009, but Muliaina adds class and experience at the back.
It will also likely mean a reshuffle, with Mike Delany moving to fullback.
It will be a shame for both the player and the Chiefs. Last night, Delany was excellent at first five-eighths, with the local favourite mixing up an incisive running game with some clever kicks. But equally good was Donald one position further out.
It's often been said Donald's future lies in the No 12 jumper where he doesn't have to direct traffic. Last night, it allowed him to back his instincts, he could run more, and it paid dividends.
He scored a try, when he slid past some weak Highlanders defence, and set up another with a beautiful cut-out pass to Sione Lauaki.
He also stepped in at first receiver at times to help out Delany before he was forced from the field with a head knock in the final 10 minutes.
While few will be surprised the Chiefs won this match, more than Donald could have been nursing sore heads afterwards.
The Highlanders are a decent side, better than most give them credit for, and trouble most teams without ever threatening the upper reaches of the table.
They could have beaten both the Blues and Crusaders and could have won again last night.
Trailing 27-21 with seven minutes remaining, replacement flanker Tim Boys spilled a pass from Matt Berquist with the line open. It was agonising for a Highlanders side battling for credibility.
It could be the luck the Chiefs need to get their season back on track. They will need to improve considerably to compete with the Bulls and Stormers in the next fortnight, particularly the set pieces and ball retention.
Their scrum, in particular, isn't likely to worry the South Africans and they won't be able to get the front-foot ball their backs desperately crave.
"It was a good result for us," Foster said. "It was a must-win game. It was far from perfect but I was pretty pleased with how it went."
Except for the growing injury list, of course.
Chiefs 27 (S. Donald, S. Lauaki, S. Taumalolo tries, Donald 2 pens, 3 cons) Highlanders 21 (H. Triggs, F. Vainikolo tries, R. Robinson drop goal, I. Dagg con). HT: 10-15.
