Chiefs Could Miss Out

Ambitions of securing a home Super Rugby draw in the play-offs have been put on hold by the Chiefs as they scrap to make the top six. 

Saturday’s comprehensive derby defeat to the Highlanders in Invercargill has put pressure on the 2012 and 2013 champions to even make the knockout stages. 

There were a number of key absentees during the Round 16 defeat as the Chiefs battled on without the likes of Brodie Retallick, Aaron Cruden, Sonny Bill Williams and Liam Messam. 

As a result, Chiefs head coach Dave Rennie admits that while the side still have high hopes of making the top four and guaranteeing a home ‘quarter-final’, their eyes will be on other games with their focus now just on making it into the play-offs at all. 

"It's become harder now and the Highlanders are in the box seat but they've got to play the Hurricanes this week and if we can get it right against the Reds [in Brisbane this Saturday] then potentially we go into that final game against the Hurricanes with a chance of grabbing fourth,” Rennie told Stuff.

"But the key thing is to qualify at this stage and we need to get it right this week. If we win this week then we're definitely in the top six.

"Certainly we haven't given up hope of getting a home playoff game, it's just that we've got a tougher row to home now."