The Highlanders owe their fans and their coaches a decent performance this week against the Jaguares after a poor finish by the side led to a 31-31 draw with the Chiefs at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday night.
Highlanders coach Aaron Mauger cut a frustrated figure after the game, knowing two competition points - which could be crucial in the end - had been thrown away by the side.
The Highlanders now lie seventh on the table.
The side needs to learn how to put the foot on the throat when it has the opportunity after a lack of nous on Saturday night in the dying stages.
Mauger acknowledged the good play by the Chiefs and the poor options taken by his side.
"You have to give credit to the Chiefs. We knew they were going to be desperate and they played for their lives tonight," he said.
"From us, I did not think we were smart enough. I did not think we worked hard enough when we had the lead, to put the foot on the throat and finish them off.
"When you get up and play some good footy early we need to be more ruthless and we weren't tonight."
The side was too passive on defence, he said, and gave the Chiefs too many opportunities.
Mauger said after an hour the side had put itself into a position to really finish the Chiefs off, up 28-12 and having the ascendancy.
"We let them in, a couple of poor exits, and they were good enough to take those opportunities. But the disappointing thing for us was we gave them those opportunities.
"We freshened up during the week and had a light training week so there was no excuses for not going the full 80 minutes.
"Every time they carried we were letting them get through, get their arms free and get their attack going. We scored some really good tries but we left a bit too many out there.
"We have just got to be bit more mature around how we attack those next moments once we get a lead.
"It feels like we have blown the opportunity to take four points, potentially five, as we get through the game."
He said there was some good attacking play and some nice tries scored out wide.
Ben Smith picked up a hamstring strain and also received stitches to a laceration to his chin from a nasty tackle. It looked ugly and there were genuine fears he had injured himself badly.
Mauger allayed those fears but an injured hamstring will not go away overnight and Smith is unlikely to be sighted this week.
There were some other bumps and bruises with Jackson Hemopo limping through to the end of the game. He was set to come off but had to stay on when flanker James Lentjes took a blow to his side.
Mauger confirmed that Squire would be available for next week and it will be interesting to see whether the All Black flanker starts the game.
He has not played a game all year because of knee and hip injuries but his abrasive style would benefit the Highlanders, many of whom are starting to feel the impact of a heavy workload.
It was unclear whether Naholo would be fit and available as he comes back from a knee injury.
In other games over the weekend, the Reds beat the Sunwolves 32-26, the Hurricanes beat the Rebels 29-19, the Brumbies beat the Blues 26-21, The Bulls overcame the Waratahs 28-21 and the Jaguares accounted for the Stormers 30-25.