About 56 minutes through the Highlanders match against the Brumbies on Friday night, the person in the row in front of me pulled out their celphone, and I could see the text began with 'Hello from Venice...' It then struck me that I was more interested in reading that text than I was watching the game, for I realised that I too wished I was anywhere but watching the Highlanders.

Seven games lost in a row, and the phrases being coined are still 'we were unlucky' and 'the ball didn't bounce in our favour'. I know I'm not the only person, particularly after watching that second half, thinking we are officially beyond luck and chance. We are playing terribly.

I see the Highlanders offense (albeit rarely), and I wonder, why are we losing the ball so much? Why so many knock ons? Not being one to write a rugby opinion without a good old fashion expression, I think the answer is, 'It's the forwards who win the game, and backs who decide how much.' (Although Hosea Gear's tackling by no means helps). The forward runners of the Highlanders hit the line flat, with the player taking it forward hitting contact almost at the same instant as they catch the ball. The two support players are running parallel, but when the ball carrier is tackled, those two players are in a bad position by not being deep enough to reach the ruck quick enough or with forward momentum.

I see the strategy, in that it can be difficult for defenders to mark any three players who might take the ball, but this is a runner off the ruck we're talking about, where defence is generally guarded the heaviest. It's not working, we're losing possession too easily, and our stats for continuous phases are shocking. For it's in the tenth and twelfth phases where the gaps around those fringes happen, not the first couple.

Beyond the crooked set pieces, the lack of a confident first five, and my losing of my $5 twelve and under bet, there is my real concern. Looking at the starting roster, you could name (on their day) five players who are world class. They would make the international side for any team in the world. The next group of five would make most Super 15 teams in the competition, where they are solid and do their job well. The final five are players who are well performing provincial players who are out of their depth, and seem to undermine the work that the other ten put in. Look at any of the starting fifteens for the Highlanders and tell me it's not true.

It's unfortunate that our team this year has the highest number of All Black caps than any other, yet we sit rooted to the bottom of the table. Our All Blacks are trying, but they aren't in the pivotal positions where their experience counts for a lot more. For all the criticism the All Blacks in the team have copped, I do hope they're whispering advice in the ears of the younger fellas to lift their game up a notch.

I don't doubt we'll win a game this year, nor do I doubt that it will be an ugly win. But this far into the season, we'll take it. Oh, and did I mention I'm also a Warriors fan?