KEY POINTS:
Jono Gibbes appreciates the outsiders' perspective on the Chiefs' final push for a Super 14 semifinal spot.
Their last three games were against the Sharks (beaten 35-27 last weekend), the Waratahs in Sydney tonight and defending champion Crusaders in Christchurch next weekend.
"All my friends, or neighbours, or
people you bump into in the street are all talking about next week, about how big a game it's going to be against the Crusaders in Christchurch," the Chiefs skipper said. "For us as a team, the real challenge is this week."
Gibbes' concern is that the Waratahs have been so poor this season that people are expecting it to be the easiest of the Chiefs' final three matches on their impressive rails run towards a playoff spot, a run of five wins from their last six games.
The Waratahs made the semifinals last year but this campaign has been a busted flush from early on. Issues such as the loss of captain and loose forward dynamo Phil Waugh to injury and wing Lote Tuqiri antagonising officials and being a full-blown distraction for several weeks as he fluffed about over whether to resign or return to league haven't helped.
They are second bottom, four points above the Reds. But in Gibbes' book that means nothing.
"There's no easy games in this competition and the difference between second bottom and sixth or fifth is not a hell of a lot.
"That's been talked about at training, focusing on this one, getting this one right, because it'll be a bloody long week next week if we drop the ball here and underestimate these guys. They've got a point to prove."
Gibbes teams up with Keith Robinson tonight in one of the competition's most seasoned locking combinations.
It's been a frustrating campaign for both old stagers, a calf injury sidelining Robinson for five of the first seven rounds and the same problem pushing Gibbes to the stand for five games midway through.
They feed off each other; Gibbes is the undisputed captain, Robinson a valuable sounding board.
"He's a real benefit to me. It fits like an old glove really. Certainly we do share similar ideas and he's a real catalyst for us up front. He's an actions man; he just does it."
Both made strong contributions to one of the better lineout efforts against the Sharks. Tonight they must work with a new hooker in Aled de Malmanche, who gets his second start of the competition - and first at hooker - with Tom Willis battling sore ribs.
The return of Mils Muliaina after his broken foot adds experience to the Chiefs back three, and returns Sitiveni Sivivatu to the position the All Black selectors will want to see him in, with worries over the amount of play Blues left wing Joe Rokocoko is getting since returning from All Black reconditioning.
Among the most compelling features of the last few games has been the form of their loose forwards, notably No 8 Sione Lauaki. His barrelling charges from the back of the scrums or broken play present an irresistable sight.
He has a reputation for being erratic and there's a view the All Black World Cup loose forward mix is almost locked down. Lauaki must, at the least, be forcing the national selectors to keep his name in mind.
And he'll be influential again tonight, where he will square off with another hard charger, Waratahs No 8 Wycliff Palu.
The Waratahs? It's all about pride, and making sure they stay ahead of that lot from above the New South Wales border. The Waratahs' last two games against New Zealand sides have resulted in single-point losses to the Crusaders and the Highlanders, when Peter Hewat could have won both with late conversions.
Third time lucky would be disastrous for the Chiefs, but as Gibbes pointed out, this is not a time for his team to get over-complicated.
"It's a pretty simple formula. Play well, bring intensity and win a couple of crucial games." Simple as that.
