Callum Bruce says the Chiefs can't dwell on their horror loss to the Western Force and believes that shock result has well and truly removed any complacency from their desperate Super 14 campaign.

The Chiefs are in Johannesburg preparing for what they emphasise is a must-win match against the bottom-placed Lions in the penultimate round.

Now two points adrift of the fourth-placed Stormers, the Chiefs need bonus point wins this weekend and against the Sharks in the final round to have a chance of a semifinals appearance.

Their focus is very much going forward although they are determined to learn from their immediate past that featured the 21-22 shocker in Perth.

Bruce went through a wide range of emotions in the dying stages of the frantic match at Subiaco Oval.

He had the ball knocked from his grasp as he dived over for what appeared to be a match-winning try.

He then appeared to make amends when he calmly slotted a dropped gaol with three minutes left to give the Chiefs a 21-19 lead.

But then he had to stand and watch the win get snatched from the Chiefs' hands when Matt Giteau kicked the winning penalty for the Force as the final hooter sounded.

"We were all disappointed with our skills and the tempo that we played at. The Force were a lot more desperate than we were and I guess having won five in a row ... complacency crept into our game and we let it," he told RugbyHeaven from Johannesburg.

"To come down to the wire in a game that we could have easily wrapped up just makes it that much more harder.

"But there are two weeks to go. It would be silly for us to dwell on it too long so we have quickly put it behind us.

"We are really looking forward to this week and getting back on the training park and making amends for it."

Bruce said he hadn't been dogged by nightmares over his missed try although he admitted he had copped a fair "ribbing from my team mates".

"That's rugby I guess and you just have to move on. The ball was like a bar of soap at that stage. I got two hands on it but he (the tackler) managed to pop it out so good on him."

Bruce, who came back from two weeks out with a ankle problem to regain the second five-eighths job from Dwayne Sweeney, faces an anxious day or so to see where he fits in this week.

He had the ankle problem dog him again in the washup to the Force loss. But like halfback Jamie Nutbrown (ankle) and lock Kevin O'Neill (elbow), Bruce is fit for selection against the Lions.

Question marks still hang over prop Simms Davison (back) and centre Richard Kahui (ankle).

Kahui's injury will impact on the midfield mix and it could be that if the well-performed Kahui is sidelined again, Bruce may have to partner Sweeney in the centres this week.

Midfield changes have hampered the Chiefs all season as injuries have come and gone to their playing stocks in that key area. Bruce says that can't be used as an excuse for any drop in standards at this stage of the season.

"We have had enough training and games together with the (various) combinations we have got to have a good understanding. I think we have played enough rugby for that not to be a problem. Obviously this late in the season you can't make it a problem, you just have to do the best you can."

Assistant coach Craig Stevenson said the squad had managed their travel well. They were staying in a lodge on the outskirts of Johannesburg and had even managed to beat the Lions into town after the South Africans travelled back to New Zealand from last Saturday's loss to the Hurricanes, their ninth defeat of the season.

They believed the decision to go straight to altitude rather than travel up from sea level on the eve of the match would work out fine.

"The guys have got into the sleep pattern really quickly," said Stevenson.

Stevenson confirmed that sidelined skipper Jono Gibbes, out since round three with hamstring and knee problems "is fit and available for this week so he certainly comes into contention".

All Blacks halfback Brendon Leonard is still in Hamilton working on his knee injury.

"He is being monitored on a day by day basis. We will check his fitness on the weekend and if he is right then we will make a decision on whether or not we bring him over for the Sharks game," said Stevenson.