Sick list threatens Chiefs' late charge

The line of players queuing outside the Chiefs medical room bears ample testimony to the injury worries confronting the Super 14 franchise as they prepare for a late charge towards next month's semifinals.

Five players, All Black back Mils Muliaina, second five-eighth David Hill and forwards Jono Gibbes, Simms Davison and Deacon Manu are all ailing to some degree ahead of the Chiefs match against the Bulls in Hamilton on Saturday. No news on their progress is likely until tomorrow.

Muliaina and Hill played in the tight 16-13 win over the Highlanders last weekend. Muliaina has a small fracture on the back of his right hand. Playing did not worsen the injury, although it is uncomfortable.

He did little training last week and might be on light duties again this week.

Hill was making his first start after a virus knocked his early season aspirations sideways. He has a bruised knee and was replaced early in the second half against the Highlanders. He's been given two days off.

Chiefs captain Gibbes dropped a weight on a quadricep muscle, suffered bad bruising, missed the Highlanders game and his availability depends on how quickly the leg recovers.

Props Manu and Davison are sidelined by gout in a big toe, and a strained hamstring respectively.

The Chiefs sit ninth on the table, seven points out of the semifinal mix and three points adrift of the Bulls, the best of the South African teams, but who have never beaten the Chiefs in New Zealand in five attempts.

The Bulls are the second in a run of four successive home games for the Chiefs. That will help their semifinal ambitions, but they would be far happier with less questionmarks over key players going into that important run.

* Southland lock Kane Thompson has been added to the Highlanders for the remainder of the Super 14 to replace Andrew Blowers.