The side lost four players to injury in yesterday's 28-16 loss to the Sharks and ended up playing the final 10 minutes with 14 players.
The injuries are costly: three of the four are gone for the season, and the options at openside flanker appear very limited.
First to go yesterday was openside flanker Doug Tietjens, who tore his cruciate ligament in his knee after 15 minutes and is out for up to six months.
He was replaced by Elliot Dixon and the young Southlander lasted only nine minutes before he tore his pectoral muscle and was forced off. Dixon will not be sighted again this season.
Second five-eighth Shaun Treeby took a blow to his face near the end of the first half, and did not emerge after the break.
He has a suspected fractured cheekbone and there was doubt yesterday whether he would be able to travel back from South Africa.
Whether he returns with the team or not, one thing is sure - he will not be seen in a Highlanders jersey again this season.
Centre Tamati Ellison was carted off the field in the final 10 minutes with what appeared to be a nasty knee injury.
Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph said initial diagnosis had shown Ellison had only tweaked his knee, and it was not a long-term injury.
But he was unlikely to be right for next Saturday night's match against the Hurricanes at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
The Highlanders have certainly had a poor run with injuries this season. Six players have been lost for the season and plenty of others have missed games.
Joseph said every side had to expect to have injuries but the Highlanders have had their fair share.
"You do not expect to have so many injuries and it has proved to be extremely tough.
"But we are on our way home now and we have got guys back home who are fit and have been playing," Joseph said.
With John Hardie (toe) and Tietjens gone for the season, and James Haskell suspended for another two games, who will wear the No 7 jersey against the Hurricanes is not too obvious.
Adam Thomson finished yesterday's game in that position and may play there next week, with Jarrad Hoeata moving to the blindside flank.
Nick Crosswell played 80 minutes of club rugby on Saturday, Joseph said, and should be ready to get back on the field. He is likely to partner Josh Bekhuis in the second row.
Hale T-Pole, who was called into the squad three weeks ago, is now the only alternative in the loose forwards and he will be on the bench, at least, next week.
Joseph said the injuries disrupted the team greatly yesterday in a game which he said was very spasmodic.
"The start to the game was a bit soft and then we had a hell of a lot of disruptions ...
"I thought when we scored early in the second half we had a chance but they got a couple of penalties and then we gave away a soft try.
"Then the rain came in and it is pretty hard to play catch-up rugby when it is like that. But you have to give the team credit.
"They never gave up. They hung in there when there were lots of injuries and disruptions."
The Highlanders stay in the top six but there are sides, including the Hurricanes, snapping at their heels.
The team is due to arrive back in Dunedin late tomorrow.
The Hurricanes will arrive fresh off a win, having easily beaten the Blues 35-19, in Wellington on Friday night. The Chiefs stay top of the table after a sloppy 34-21 win over the Lions at Pukekohe, while the Brumbies beat the Waratahs 23-6 in Canberra.
The Cheetahs beat the Force 17-13, in a messy match in Bloemfontein yesterday and the Bulls finished just ahead of the Rebels 41-35 in Melbourne on Friday night.
Yesterday afternoon, in Christchurch, the Crusaders ground out a 15-11 victory over the Reds.
A strange, mistaken-ridden performance from the Crusaders in front of a sell-out Christchurch Stadium was still enough to catapult them above the Highlanders into fifth spot overall, and second on the New Zealand log, behind the Chiefs.
Hospital ward
Gone for the season
- Colin Slade leg
- Lima Sopoaga shoulder
- Elliot Dixon pectoral
- Doug Tietjens knee
- Shaun Treeby cheekbone
- John Hardie toe
