Highlanders coach Glenn Moore has put in a plug for his All Blacks aspirants as the team's poor Super 14 rugby campaign comes to an end.
The Highlanders have again failed to flatter and face the prospect of finishing 13th, above only the dysfunctional Lions, if they cannot get the better of the injury-ravaged Queensland Reds in Brisbane on Saturday night.
After 11th placings in Moore's previous two years in charge in 2008 and 2009, it continues the franchise's search for respectability.
The perennial strugglers among New Zealand's five franchises, the Highlanders have long had difficulty attracting and retaining players wanting to attain higher honours.
Nothing much will change given their form this season, but Moore believes players with genuine claims to an All Blacks jersey can still press their cases while playing for the southerners.
He cites the examples of incumbent All Blacks, halfback Jimmy Cowan and Adam Thomson, who are widely expected to be included in the national squad for home tests next month against Wales and Ireland.
International lock Tom Donnelly has been sidelined for two months by an ankle injury but young fullback Israel Dagg has strung together a series of consistent performances to loom as a fringe consideration, particularly if a thumb injury rules Mils Muliaina out of contention.
Winger Ben Smith was thrust into the All Blacks late last year after starring for the Highlanders but his chances this term have not been helped due to limited opportunities with the ball in hand.
"Jimmy and Adam have led the way from the front and I'm sure they'll get their call-ups," said Moore, who is eager to stay on for the final year of his contract next year.
He said Dagg's form in his second Super 14 season was also strong.
"He's recognised that at this level time and space shuts down on you very quickly and I think he has adapted, he's been consistent most of the way through, he's managed to get himself in very good physical condition and he's playing well."
Moore has made minimal changes to the team who lost 3-31 to the Brumbies in Canberra last weekend, welcoming back centre Kenny Lynn from injury which enables Smith to revert to the wing in place of James Paterson.
As well, prop Jamie Mackintosh returns via the bench after being sidelined for six weeks by a toe injury.
Moore does not buy into the suggestion that little is riding on the result on Saturday aside from team pride.
"The message we have given out is that there is everything to lose here," he said.
"There's the pride factor, the ability to finish on a good note, there are guys in contention for higher honours, there's re-contracting ... there's a number of things that people still have to play for."
After falling off the pace and seeing their semifinal aspirations expire as early as the middle of the competition, Moore has been pleased with the manner in which his players have gone about their work over the past month.
"Over the last three or four weeks the endeavour has been there each week. It'd be very easy to fall away when you're out of playoffs contention but these guys have stuck at it and worked hard."
The Highlanders will meet a Reds team still smarting from a thumping 21-44 loss to the Hurricanes last weekend and shorn of a number of frontline players due to injury.
They have lost front rowers Saia Faingaa (neck) and Ben Daley (bicep), centre Anthony Faingaa (shoulder) and winger Rod Davies (hamstring) and coach Ewen McKenzie has also dropped flanker Andrew Shaw.
Hooker Sean Hardman replaces Faingaa and is joined in the front row by James Slipper, while Jake Schatz is promoted to the loose forwards, Ben Lucas will start at fullback and Ben Tapuai slots into second five-eighth.
Fringe forwards James Hanson, Poutasi Luafutu and uncapped youngster Ed Quirk will make their first appearances of the season off the bench.
Former All Blacks flanker Daniel Braid has been unable to recover from a knee injury and will miss the chance for a Reds farewell before heading back to Auckland, as will Melbourne-bound forwards Laurie Weeks (foot) and Adam Byrnes (ankle).
Only No 8 Leroy Houston, lock Van Humphries and blindside flanker Scott Higginbotham remain from the Reds' regular starting pack.
