But the defending champion should go into its match against the Waratahs in Sydney on Friday night with some confidence following an impressive display against the Lions at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday night, winning 34-15, after leading 10-3 at the break.
However, it was a costly victory, with three key forwards leaving the field.
Lock Joe Wheeler suffered a concussion half an hour into the game and was forced off the field and did not return. Loose forward Dan Pryor, who had a fine match, left the field with a head knock near the end, and his fellow loose forward, Luke Whitelock, was also forced off with a medial ligament strain in his knee.
Throw in winger Patrick Osborne on crutches after the game with a sore hip and the side is racking up the injuries.
Two other players - lock Mark Reddish and prop Josh Hohneck - were injured for the Highlanders development team, and although those injuries are not thought to be serious, it is just more hassle for Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph.
No 8 Liam Squire did not front for the game after developing a virus two days before the match.
Joseph was philosophical about the forwards lost in the game but knows his side has to be ready for the challenge waiting in Sydney.
"There is obviously a lot of attention around head knocks so we have to be careful there ... we can't afford to lose three important players,'' Joseph said.
"Next week is going to be the Waratahs and no-one is easy in this competition. They have had the week off too. Gibbo [Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson] will be working hard. The last game we played them in Queenstown that was another tight encounter.''
Joseph would have been well satisfied with his team's performance on Saturday night as it pulled away in the second half.
"It was a really tough game up front. We tried to quicken it up in the second half. Well, that was the mindset anyway. We just did not want them to settle.
"We know they like to play fast but they had played a lot of rugby in the first 40 and did not get their reward for it. We sped it up in the second half and we got the reward.''
The Highlanders scored two tries early in the second half which split the game open - the first one a quick lineout throw from Ben Smith to Aaron Smith who returned the ball to his namesake.
Ben Smith sprinted 60m to score.
Joseph did not see it as a piece of opportunism.
"You've got to create your own luck sometimes. But what Aaron and Ben did, it was risk taking.
"Not sure it is opportunistic when someone is creating something from within their own 22. I think we had confidence from within our own half - that is something we have not done before this season.''
The Highlanders scored four tries but conceded a try in the final five minutes which denied the home team a bonus point.
"Those are the new rules. That just shows how hard it is going to be to get bonus points this year.''
In other games over the weekend, the Brumbies beat the Force 31-14, the Rebels downed the Reds 25-23, the Cheetahs prevailed 32-31 against Sunwolves, the Chiefs smashed the Kings 58-24 and the Sharks defeated the Stormers 18-13.
● The Crusaders Knights development team beat the Highlanders Bravehearts team 71-7 in Pleasant Point on Saturday.