The All Blacks finished their 2016 season four days ago.
The Highlanders will crank up tomorrow for the 2017 season - as the New Zealand rugby juggernaut continues to roll along.
The Highlanders - minus their All Blacks and Maori All Blacks - will have administration and fitness testing tomorrow and Friday before hitting the ground running next week out on the training paddock.
Although it seems ridiculously early and it only felt like yesterday the Mitre 10 Cup was in progress, Highlanders chief executive Roger Clark said the start of pre-season was actually a week later than usual.
''Normally, we have been getting under way earlier in November. But as everything had finished later, then we are starting a bit later,'' Clark said.
''The guys will be getting straight into it and out on the paddock next week. They will be looking to get a good block of strength and conditioning in and the rugby balls will be coming out pretty early.''
The side would train for three weeks before Christmas, breaking up on December 22.
It would then come back to start training on January 9 with its first game scheduled against the Crusaders in Darfield on February 4.
''The guys do not have a lot of time really. They get out there and start learning patterns and do not muck around ... those guys who finished when the Mitre 10 Cup ended have had four to five weeks off so it is time for them to get back into it. That is what they are paid to do.''
With a dozen players from the Maori All Blacks and All Blacks not joining until after Christmas, fringe players from Otago and beyond would join the group for differing periods. They would be needed to make up the numbers in live contested training.
It was also a chance for coaches to have a decent look at these players as they could be players for the future, Clark said.
Any injury concerns would be assessed tomorrow. Players new to Super rugby are due to have an induction day in Wellington today.
New Highlanders coach Tony Brown is back from helping Japan on its spring tour for the start of training and he will be joined by new assistant coach Mark Hammett. Scott McLeod, Jon Preston and Clarke Dermody will be back again.
There will be no other new coaches as the post-Jamie Joseph era begins at the franchise.
Former Highlanders winger Buxton Popoali'i will be assisting in strength and conditioning training.