KEY POINTS:
Skipper Mils Muliaina rates it as maybe the biggest game in the Chiefs' Super 14 rugby season.
Beat the Lions in Johannesburg on Sunday morning (NZ time) and the fifth-placed Chiefs stay in contention for a semifinal spot.
But defeat at Ellis Park against the competition's bottom side could end the Chiefs' playoff ambitions and render meaningless their final-round fixture against the Sharks.
Muliaina said his team knew they had put themselves into a potential sudden death situation when they were upset by the Western Force 21-22 in Perth last weekend.
"The focus this week is on winning, doing the little things well and making sure, come next week, we have something to play for," he said.
"It will be pretty disappointing going to Durban knowing you're out of running for a top-four spot, so this is probably the most important game of the season. We've got to win to stay alive."
To do that, the Chiefs will have to survive what they expect will be a tough examination of their credentials.
Coach Ian Foster warned that the Lions, despite their position on the table, would be no easybeats.
Instead, they would be highly-motivated to prove a point in front of their own fans in their first home match since March.
While the Lions failed to grab a win during their recent five-match trip to New Zealand and Australia, Foster said they had demonstrated what difficult opponents they could be.
He noted that they led competition leaders the Crusaders at halftime, held top-four side the Waratahs to 0-0 until early in the second spell and lost by a last minute try to Brumbies.
"They've not had a lot of luck, but they've certainly shown a lot passion," he said.
"Our analysis is that they're still young, they're very enthusiastic and they have a tough forward pack that certainly wins their share of the ball."
The Lions would also have World Cup-winning Springbok centre Jaque Fourie back from a stomach injury that has kept him out of the Super 14 so far this season.
Foster said Fourie's return would add solidity and confidence to their backline.
The Chiefs have one of their own stalwarts back from a long spell on the sidelines, with Jono Gibbes included on the bench to cover at lock.
The former All Black has not appeared in the Super 14 since suffering a severe hamstring strain against the Hurricanes in late February.
Gibbes was considered for the starting 15, but Foster said the highly physical approach the Lions would bring to the contest up front ruled that out.
"The Lions do a lot of driving and they're very combative," he said.
"They've worked very hard in their tight five in the last four to five games in getting around the field.
"We just feel it's a little bit unfair to put someone like Jono out there at the start of the game against what we expect to be a fired-up team."
Foster made two injury-forced changes to his starting 15, with both centre Richard Kahui (ankle) and loosehead prop Simms Davison (back) unavailable.
Dwayne Sweeney comes in for Kahui, while the front row has been reshuffled with Ben May moving to tighthead and Ben Castle coming in to take the No 3 jersey.
Chiefs
Mils Muliaina (captain), Lelia Masaga, Dwayne Sweeney, Callum Bruce, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Stephen Donald, Jamie Nutbrown, Sione Lauaki, Tanerau Latimer, Liam Messam, Kevin O'Neill, Toby Lynn, Ben Castle, Tom Willis, Ben May.
Reserves: Aled de Malmanche, Simon Lemalu, Jono Gibbes, Faifili Levave, David Bason, Viliame Waqaseduadua, Sosene Anesi.
- NZPA
