Hayden Meikle

After a win and a near-win against South African sides, Highlanders coach Glenn Moore is confident his side will find success on the road.

The success of the New Zealand Open at Arrowtown has contributed to a dramatic swing in financial fortunes for New Zealand Golf.

Adam Thomson is delighted to have a single digit on his back tonight and has vowed to make the most of a rare start for the Highlanders.

Glenn Moore has made one of the boldest selection calls of his brief Highlanders tenure by demoting experienced halfback Jimmy Cowan to the bench for tomorrow's game against the Sharks.

Things are going from bad to worse for the slumping Highlanders, who can now add a loose forward crisis to the shame of being last in the Super 14.

James Ryan has terminated his Otago contract and revealed he will take an indefinite break from rugby to allow his battered body a chance to recover from surgery.

It has been a tough season but the Highlanders, hoping to avoid a sixth consecutive defeat against the Chiefs tonight, have not lacked success stories.

Ian Foster is not being patronising when he says he knows just how the winless Highlanders are feeling.

Matt Dallow's nickname is Cougar, but to the Highlanders he can often seem more like a raging bull. Dallow is the member of Highlanders management the players most love to hate.

Tom Harding is the quintessential rugby nomad.

Aaron Bancroft, Hoani MacDonald and Chris King will make their first starts of the season when the Highlanders attempt to break a four-game losing streak against the Force in Queenstown on Saturday.

After losing three All Blacks, the Highlanders' front row was expected to struggle this year. But, while the side has struggled to score tries and slipped to four straight losses, the boys in the tight have stood tall. Rugby writer Hayden Meikle reports.

New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Steve Tew is excited Dunedin is to build a new roofed stadium, but has again emphasised the national body can give neither money nor guarantees to the project.

Ezra Taylor has not played a game for the Highlanders this season, and now he won't get a chance.