Classy halfback Brendon Leonard says the Chiefs are delighted - and relieved - to have their destiny in their own hands as they push into what promises to be an intriguing final month of the Super 14's round-robin play.

Last year the Chiefs scored an upset win over the Crusaders in Christchurch in their last match and had to sit around all weekend waiting to see if it was good enough to earn them a playoffs berth. It wasn't, much to their frustration.

Last weekend the Chiefs scored an equally impressive 18-5 win over the Crusaders in Hamilton. That pushed them back up the table to be fifth on points difference and now they are out to take advantage of that without having to look for help from other teams.

They have only been to the semi-finals once - in 2004 - and now they can sniff another chance.

It's an awkward home straight, facing the unpredictable Reds in Hamilton on Saturday night followed by a road trip that takes in the Western Force in Perth, Lions in Johannesburg and Sharks in Durban.

But the Chiefs are currently the hottest of the New Zealand teams with four consecutive wins and they have growing confidence levels that were dramatically boosted by their huge defensive effort in beating the Crusaders.

"It's in our hands now," Leonard told RugbyHeaven.

"We don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves but as long as we can control our own destiny ... you can't ask for too much more."

The Crusaders have a six point buffer at the top of the table after results went their way last weekend. The Sharks and Waratahs are also well-placed to capitalise. But just three points separate the fourth and ninth-placed teams. The Chiefs are right in the thick of that and aim to stay there.

"It's a bit like quarter-finals now. It's a very tight competition and one off-week and you find yourself back to eighth or ninth.

"We have to try to stay in or on the top four and capitalise on that later in the piece."

That's why beating the Crusaders after having the bye was so crucial. A loss would have sent the Chiefs plummeting. So to come through an acid test like that so impressively has the Chiefs squad humming now.

Blessed with rare attacking talent, Ian Foster's side now knows they have a defensive backbone to front up to what lies ahead.

"Yeah, we had to step the defence up against the Crusader and to concede only five points, you can't complain about that," said Leonard.

"It was a big grudge match after last year. We knew the Crusaders were coming here with a pretty impressive record, we knew we had our work cut out. We weren't worrying too much about the table and all that. It was a one-off game and we had to perform. So hats off to the boys, they showed up."

Leonard is in the middle of an increasingly effective axis to the side. His game is getting better by the week and he senses the same with Sione Lauaki and Stephen Donald on either side of him.

"The combination at 8, 9 and 10 is pretty important in any rugby team and I think the Chiefs are no exception to that rule. The more we play together the more we get into the groove. We are working together well; we all get on well off the field and I think that helps with the communication we have got going.

"Defensively that is very tough area under the new rules and we have all had to help out in those inside channels. We got a bit exposed there early on. Right back in the very first game the Blues scored two tries through that channel. So we have worked hard to fix that up and I think it's coming together now."

Confidence is a key to any halfback's game and Leonard certainly has a bit of a swagger about him right now. He appeared looked to get the better of one of his main All Blacks rivals in Crusaders No.9 Andy Ellis last Friday night.

Not that you'd hear Leonard crowing about that. He'd rather heap the praise on the good work going on in front of him where the tight five stepped up to the Crusaders and good work from Lauaki, Liam Messam and Tanerau Latimer gave the Chiefs a decisive edge at the breakdowns.

Leonard, who developed into be something of a super-sub last year, is now getting regular starts and looking better for it as consistency grows in his talented game.

"It's been all about getting a bit of rugby under my belt. I feel a lot more confident playing week-in, week-out. I feel like I'm getting into the groove again."

His effort against the Crusaders wasn't perfect though. There was one costly botch-up at the base of a ruck and a banana kick that bent its way backwards.

But with another win under his belt, Leonard could smile about those, particularly the kick.

"I'm enjoying my rugby and that's the main thing. Hopefully it shows," he said.

The Chiefs have no major medical issues this week. Lauaki is expected to recover from a tight hamstring while they are hopeful that Callum Bruce will be over the twisted ankle that saw him replaced at second five-eighths on the eve of the Crusaders match.

Sidelined skipper Jono Gibbes may even come into the frame if he can shrug his knee and hamstring problems although, after being out for so long, he may now be best used to boost the mix for that demanding trip to finish the round-robin.