This past weekend's third loss against the Hurricanes has cemented the Highlanders at the bottom of the competition.
Recent games against the Wellingtonians suggested this was going to be a tight tussle. I think in the past five or six games each side has been separated by only four or five points come the end of play. Friday's game was no different.
The Hurricanes started off strong with a lot of ball and the used it wisely, giving it to their young gun winger Julian Savea who found himself in some space down the left hand flank.
Five metres out he passed to Brad Shields who if is wasn't for a Jerome Kaino type tackle from Kade Poki, would have had first try.
Poki stopped Shields over the try line and then picked him up and with the help of a few team mates the muscled him back in the field of play.
Unfortunately for all the hard work done in stopping Shields, it wasn't enough to prevent the 'Canes captain and All Black stalwart Conrad Smith crossing for the first points.
On the half hour mark the Highlanders found themselves again in trouble down the left hand side of the park. Victor Vito managed to make his way past a couple of loose defenders before he passed to Ben Franks 10m from the line. Franks produced his best Lomu/Savea impression by steam rolling Ben Smith for a proper Norm Hewitt like front row try.
Not long after Franks' impressive try, the barnstorming Hosea Gear got the Highlanders back in the game with one of his own. Off the back of an attacking scrum he ran straight over Beauden Barrett to score next to the sticks. Slade converted to put the 'Landers up 13 -12 at oranges.
After the break the Hurricanes came out fired up wanting to re-gain the lead they let slip.
They didn't have to wait long as some seriously questionable defence allowed TJ Perenara to barge his way past five or six defenders close to the line to score. A couple of penalties from Slade kept the 'Landers within touching distance, but the game was effectively put out of reach when Barrett's penalty attempt from halfway sailed through the posts, pushing the score out to 23-19.
The 'Landers pushed hard in the final few minutes to break the line and get that much needed winning try, and they were very close on a few occasions. However handling errors that were present all game proved to be their undoing on the hooter.
Friday's game saw the long awaited return (again) for Colin Slade. While he wasn't at his best, and understandably after going through a horrendous injury toll in the last couple of seasons, Slade played all right for the 'Landers kicking 5/6. The miss proved crucial in the end.
We also saw Hosea Gear return to devastating form. Gear was near unstoppable on attack and just as good on defence. Brad Thorn was at his absolute best too. The loss of Hore early didn't help, although his replacement Brayden Mitchell I thought played superbly. He was unlucky having to depart with a broken shoulder. The Highlanders need him and Hore to recover quickly as they now only have one fit hooker in the team.
Although the Highlanders played well, they were out played by the Hurricanes. They may have the better team on paper but as we have seen in the past with teams like Manchester City in the EPL having all the stars in your team doesn't make you the best straight away.
The Highlanders are going to have to go back to the drawing board (again) in order to get their first win. A mounting injury toll makes it hard, but this is professional sport - you have to deal with injuries and adjust. They best do so quickly or what looked like a bright season for the 'Landers could quickly turn to the south.
Karl Tily
Twitter - @Gldf1sh