Things are going from bad to worse for the slumping Highlanders, who can now add a loose forward crisis to the shame of being last in the Super 14.
They face the prospect of playing the Lions at Carisbrook on Friday night with just three fit loose forwards.
It is a game the Highlanders must win to have any hope of avoiding the wooden spoon but they could be without in-form No 8 Steven Setephano and experienced openside flanker Alando Soakai.
Both sustained injuries in Saturday's 24-39 loss to the Chiefs, Setephano leaving Waikato Stadium after 25min with a strained calf muscle and Soakai sustaining a badly broken nose early in the second half.
With No 8 Ezra Taylor already ruled out for the season with a knee injury, there is now a desperate need to call for loose forward replacements.
This will be the first of five successive games against South African teams for the Highlanders and it is probable they will need to win at least two to avoid the ignominy of finishing bottom for the first time since 1997.
‘‘I'd like to win the lot,'' coach Glenn Moore said.
‘‘But the one next week is really important to us. The most important thing is to get a win under our belt and see if we can gather some momentum.''
One positive for the Highlanders against the Chiefs was their first bonus point for scoring four tries this season, with lock Hoani MacDonald getting two on the night and winger Fetu'u Vainikolo his fourth of the season.
But the Highlanders spoiled their night with a series of defensive lapses that allowed the vastly superior Chiefs backs in for six tries.
‘‘That's probably something we're not too pleased with. To date, our defence has been one of our strengths and that's the first time we've conceded a bonus point,'' Moore said.
‘‘Clearly the big challenge for us is to bolt all of the components together on the one night.''
There has been some consolation for the Highlanders in the early rounds in their ability to be competitive with every team. But they were not really in the same class as the Chiefs, with even Moore conceding the fact.
‘‘In certain areas, that might have been the case.
‘‘We always knew their attacking ability was going to be as good as anything in the competition.''
Highlanders prop Jamie Mackintosh will need to be careful with his discipline over the next seven weeks.
He was yellow-carded for the second time this season for what referee Stuart Dickinson decided was deliberate offside on Saturday, and he will face the Sanzar judiciary if he receives another card this season.
Moore thought the decision ‘‘a bit tough'', while captain Craig Newby did not believe Mackintosh deserved to be punished for accidentally getting in the way of a Chiefs pass.
‘‘I said to the ref, ‘He's 130kg, he's running straight back, how is he meant to move?' It was a tough call,'' Newby said.
