The Highlanders lost 38-13 to the Bulls in Pretoria yesterday and now find themselves well and truly in the dog box.
Everyone knew it was going to be a difficult season for the Highlanders — losing a dozen top players and only able to bring in some promising talent.
Good players do not grow on trees any more in New Zealand and the Highlanders have some holes which are — short term — going to be difficult to fill.
The side does still has some talent and quality players but across the park there are too many holes and too much inexperience.
The team wilted in the second half against the Bulls, a side which had yet to win a game this season.
The worry for the Highlanders is the basics which is letting them down and inability to make much progress into the fifth game of the season.
The Highlanders led 10-5 at the break but had a second half which would rank as one of the worst in the side’s recent history.
The set piece lost all structure and too many tackles were missed as it failed to impose itself.
The side did not help itself by some pointless kicking which just turned the ball over.
Against a team low on confidence like the Bulls, surely the best option would have been to attack with ball in hand.
But the Highlanders tried way too many kicks with the box kicks of Aaron Smith just simply turning the ball over.
Having the ball is the first prerequisite in scoring points but the Highlanders did not seem to understand that.
The Bulls changed their playing jerseys at halftime after both teams were wearing blue coloured jerseys in the first half. Though it was not too confusing, the Bulls rather ugly grey-yellow combination made things crystal clear in the second period.
The Highlanders had dominated the first half and needed to come away from the opening 40 minutes with more than the one try, scored by Josh Ioane.
The visiting side needed to be up by 20 points at the break — a reward for its dominance.
Flanker Dillon Hunt lost the ball when trying to slip the last defender just past the quarter hour mark and Smith tried a quick tap from 5m out but only succeeded in going into touch.
The Bulls were average in the first half but a different side in the second period as the Highlanders wilted at altitude and the Bulls upped the intensity.
Winger Rosko Specman scored a hat trick of tries in the second half, given too much room by the Highlanders defence.
Ioane tried hard for the Highlanders while Dillon Hunt was busy, as was No8 Marino Mukaele Tu’u.
The worry for the side is seven of its last nine games will be against New Zealand opposition which will be ruthlessly looking for big wins.
That may not be fun.