The Highlanders have cancelled a trip to Japan and will have a match against a Southland invitational side instead during the three-week international break next month.
The Highlanders play the Force in Perth tomorrow night before coming home to meet the Blues on June 1 at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
After that game, the competition - for New Zealand and South African teams, anyway - goes into hibernation for three weeks before the Highlanders face the Crusaders in Dunedin on June 29.
Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph said from Perth yesterday that the side had considered going to Japan to play the Fukoka Sanix Blues, a side Joseph used to coach, during that break, but that had fallen through due to financial concerns.
The Highlanders were now seeking to get a match against a Southland invitational side organised.
It would include Southland players, a few ring-ins and players from the Highlanders wider training squad. Otago players were unlikely to be available as they had commitments to club rugby.
No date or venue had been confirmed, although it could be about a week before the game against the Crusaders.
Joseph said the three-week window last year had proved difficult for those players who had not been playing in tests.
''It is very hard to find games when you don't have the money to travel. The June window is not ideal for our guys that are not involved in the test matches,'' he said.
The Chiefs had a trip lined up to Argentina but have canned that, while the Blues have a bonus of playing France midweek on Tuesday, June 11, three days after the first test in Auckland.
Meanwhile, Joseph said some of the Highlanders had been battling colds but they should all be available to play the Force.
He said that as players went from the high veldt in South Africa to sea level in Perth, and spent a long time in a plane, there was always the chance of catching an illness.
Flanker John Hardie had rolled an ankle in last week's match against the Bulls but should be fine, while lock Josh Bekhuis should have recovered from a damaged shoulder.
Ma'a Nonu, who had flown over to join the team earlier this week, had picked up a cold and did not train yesterday. But he should be able to play after a four-week break to get his injured knee right.