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The unfashionable New Zealanders, who have so often flattered to deceive with fluctuating form in past seasons of the southern hemisphere provincial series, are leading the Super 14 with four rounds remaining.
The Chiefs, who have traditionally played second fiddle to Kiwi provincial powerhouses Crusaders and Blues, are in a rich vein of form ahead of their top-four showdown with the Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday.
Last weekend's victory over the Cheetahs was their record sixth consecutive win and their first in South Africa for four years, but that has yet to convince bookmakers that they should be the title favourites.
Sharks, displaced at the top by the Chiefs after losing to the Crusaders last weekend, are still favourites to win this year's Super 14 and the Bulls are listed as odds-on to down the Chiefs this weekend.
The last three Chiefs' visits to Pretoria have been high-scoring affairs but all have ended in a three-point loss to the Kiwis.
The Bulls will be bolstered by the return of lineout general Victor Matfield, who missed last weekend's match against the Brumbies in Canberra after returning home for the birth of his second child.
Bulls' coach Frans Ludeke is wary of the Chiefs and their many game breakers.
"They are especially dangerous from broken play," said Ludeke, who wants his team to stick to their tried and tested game plan of concentrating on the set pieces and breakdowns.
With the Sharks having the weekend off along with the NSW Waratahs, the way is open for the Blues, Wellington Hurricanes, Brumbies and Crusaders to press their claims on the finals.
The fourth-placed Hurricanes are at home to the seventh-placed Brumbies on Saturday.
"We're looking pretty good after a couple of wins in a row, and to come back from South Africa with that, there's a lot of confidence in the group," said Hurricanes' coach Colin Cooper.
The last time they were in Wellington, the Brumbies lost in the final seconds, leaving their record in the capital at three wins and three losses.
The Brumbies have made five changes with 19-year-old flyhalf Matt Toomua to make his run-on debut after Christian Lealiifano tore his hamstring in last weekend's 32-31 win over the Bulls.
Hooker Tom McCartney will start a Super 14 match for the first time for the fifth-placed Blues against the struggling Reds in Auckland Saturday.
McCartney takes the No. 2 jersey ahead of skipper Keven Mealamu, who gets a breather on the bench, while flyhalf Tasesa Lavea returns from a hamstring injury.
Champions Crusaders are running into form at the right time and are away to the bottom team Cheetahs in Bloemfontein Saturday.
Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder has opted to rotate his team, trying to keep his players fresh as they launch a late-season assault on the playoffs following last week's 13-10 upset of the Sharks in Durban.
The seven-time champions will again be led by All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw, who returned last week after six weeks out with a knee injury.
Western Force will try to keep alive their mathematical playoff chance with a victory over the Lions in Perth Friday.
The Highlanders will be looking to atone for an inept display against the Blues last week when they face the Stormers in Dunedin on Friday.
