They will not be able to make any impact this weekend as they will have to sit on their hands, since they have their second bye.
The side is going to have to rely on others doing it a favour, as well as making sure it wins its final two games of the season - both at home - against the Bulls and Waratahs.
The side lost to the Stormers 34-22 in Cape Town yesterday and will return from its South African tour with zero competition points - the first time in the history of the Highlanders that has happened.
The team has now dropped to 10th on the ladder although it is by no means out of the race. The two sides immediately above it - the Stormers and the Lions - play each other next week and there are a crowd of teams still in with a chance to make the playoffs.
Highlanders coach Aaron Mauger said it was disappointing to come out of the match and tour with nothing. He said the side now had to focus on the two remaining games and look at the past games and fix what had gone wrong.
Mauger said the side had lost the physical battle against the Stormers and that had a big bearing on the game.
``They had their big ball carriers working hard and carrying well. That made it hard for us to get any momentum. The plan was to move them around and when we did that we looked good,'' he said.
``But our defence was too soft, too many missed tackles and those sort of things need to be addressed.''
Mauger said when the side had the ball it carried into the collision too high and that led to the Stormers being able to get in and contest the breakdown.
The side was slow to move the Stormers' big forwards out of the way at the breakdown and could not get any speed going in its game.
Injuries continue to hit the side.
Fullback Matt Faddes copped a knock early on to his chin and appeared dazed.
While on the sideline for a yellow card he began to feel unwell, so was replaced by
Dan Hollinshead.
Hollinshead himself had come into the reserves as Josh Ioane had dropped out of the starting side.
Ioane had been struggling with various bangs over the past few weeks and could not shake off a hematoma just above his knee. He could get no power into his kicking so was scratched before the game.
Marty Banks came into the starting side and left the game in the second half with a quad in jury. Prop Daniel Lienert Brown injured his knee and also went off.
The casualty ward is mounting but the side will get forwards Jackson Hemopo and Liam Squire back for the game against the Bulls on June 7.
The side was scheduled to arrive in Dunedin tomorrow morning.
In other games over the weekend, the Brumbies beat the Bulls 22-10, the Rebels beat the Sunwolves 52-7, the Crusaders beat the Blues 19-11 while the Sharks beat the Lions 27-17.