elling ▁to ▁South ▁Africa ▁to ▁defeat ▁Western ▁Province ▁ 5 2 – 2 5 ▁in ▁Cape ▁Town . ▁After ▁three ▁matches ▁the ▁High land ers ▁were ▁und efe ated ▁and ▁leading ▁the ▁competition . ▁However , ▁the ▁following ▁week ▁at ▁Lo ft us ▁Vers feld ▁Stadium ▁they ▁were ▁defeated ▁ 5 9 – 2 9 ▁by ▁Northern ▁Trans va al . ▁They ▁only ▁won ▁two ▁more ▁games ▁that ▁season ; ▁against ▁ ▁at ▁Car is bro ok , ▁and ▁against ▁the ▁Can ter bury ▁Cr us aders ▁at ▁Lanc aster ▁Park . ▁The ▁win ▁over ▁the ▁Cr us aders ▁was ▁their ▁only ▁ever ▁win ▁in ▁Christ ch urch . ▁The ▁High land ers ▁finished ▁the ▁season ▁e ighth ▁on ▁the ▁table , ▁and ▁third ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁five ▁New ▁Zealand ▁teams . ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁was ▁the ▁least ▁successful ▁season ▁ever ▁for ▁the ▁High land ers . ▁They ▁finished ▁last , ▁and ▁managed ▁only ▁three ▁wins . ▁They ▁spent ▁their ▁pre - season ▁playing ▁in ▁Scotland ▁and ▁England ▁where ▁they ▁won ▁all ▁seven ▁matches . ▁Carl ▁H oe ft ▁said ▁of ▁the ▁pre - season ; ▁" Look ing ▁back ▁now , ▁it ' s ▁safe ▁to ▁say ▁it ▁wasn ' t ▁probably ▁the ▁best ▁way ▁we ▁could ▁have ▁prepared . ▁Even ▁now , ▁people ▁think ▁were ▁cra zy ▁when ▁I ▁tell ▁them ▁what ▁we ▁did ". ▁They ▁were ▁now ▁co ached ▁by ▁Gl enn ▁Ross ▁and ▁capt ained ▁by ▁T aine ▁Rand ell . ▁Their ▁eight ▁defe ats