Otago rake Henry Bell, Southland hooker Jack Taylor and Otago pivot Ajay Faleafaga have joined the club.
Bell will join the Highlanders squad after a sojourn in the United States playing for the Greg Cooper-coached Utah Warriors.
He made his debut for Otago in 2020 and is the older brother of Crusaders hooker George Bell.
Taylor made his debut for the Highlanders as a replacement player this year, while Faleafaga is with the New Zealand under-20 team at the World Cup in South Africa and has been a key member of the Highlanders under-20 team in recent years. Taylor is also at the under-20 World Cup.
The trio are part of a wider group of newbies who are charged with leading the rebuilding phase.
That crew includes Otago first five Cameron Millar, who is set for an expanded role with the Highlanders.
He made one start for the Highlanders this season and three appearances off the bench.
Midfielder Jake Te Hiwi, halfback Nathan Hastie and loose forward Oliver Haig all got on as replacement players during the season as well.
They represent a golden generation of young rugby players coming through who the Highlanders have invested in.
The group also includes Southland openside flanker Hayden Michaels. He is yet to make his debut for the Highlanders but captained the Highlanders under-20 team in 2022 and made the New Zealand under-20 team in the same year as well as debuting for Southland in the NPC.
Highlanders general manager of rugby Greg O’Brien said he was delighted the high performance programme was starting to deliver players to Super Rugby level.
"The investment in our youth programme over the last few years is starting to pay dividends," O’Brien said.
"We have worked hard to ensure we can provide a genuine pathway for our players from high school to Highlanders".
Highlanders coach Clarke Dermody was looking forward to discovering their potential.
"The calibre of players coming through is very exciting," Dermody said.
"I know they’ll all want to work hard to compete for spots and I certainly don’t mind hard working players with a passion for the Highlanders."
All three of the Highlanders’ hookers — Andrew Makalio, Rhys Marshall and Leni Apisai — are off contract and are leaving the club.
That means there is room for another rake.
The Highlanders will also be on the hunt for another first five with Mitch Hunt, Freddie Burns and Marty Banks all moving on as well.
