The side has won its past five games and racked up its biggest winning margin last week — and now the lowly Cheetahs come into the picture.
The Highlanders should be too good, should be in a different class to the South African team, which is on death row.The Cheetahs have won just two games and are well off the pace in 15th place.
Years ago, a trip to South Africa was an occasion for trepidation and fear. To win one of the two games was a hope — to win both was more of a dream.
The South African challenge was to be respected and 80 minutes on the high veldt was a tough and rugged task.
These days, the South African threat is more the whimper of a house rat than the roar of an African lion.
One could write a book on the reasons for the demise of South African rugby but it will not mean much tomorrow for the Highlanders.
They still have to get out and beat the Cheetahs, a side which plays entertaining football yet does not get the results from its endeavour.
Against the Crusaders last week, the Cheetahs threw the ball around and asked a few questions of the red and blacks, but their defence was too soft and they ended up conceding almost 50 points.
Highlanders coach Tony Brown said the Cheetahs were a team prepared to give the ball a bit of air.
"They’re a pretty expansive team ... try to attack from everywhere. So, defensively, we are going to have to be good," Brown said from South Africa yesterday.
"They were pretty good against the Crusaders and put them under pressure at certain times. So they would have taken a bit of confidence out of that.
"Last week I think we had a good week of preparation and and if we can prepare as well as we can then, hopefully, we can have a similar sort of performance."
The Highlanders had a couple of light trainings in Johannesburg and moved down to Bloemfontein yesterday for the game.
Brown said it was great hooker and co-captain Ash Dixon would get back on the field. The rake starts off the bench.
"It’s pretty exciting for him. He’s had a lot of time off the field but put in a lot of hard work to be able to get out there. He’s probably going to be a little bit nervous, too."
Dixon is bound to get some game time but he is going to be rusty and will want to concentrate on the basics.
Matt Faddes comes into the team for the injured Ben Smith and Richard Buckman is in doubt to take his place in the reserves, still battling an achilles injury.
History favours the visiting team. The Highlanders have won eight of their past nine games against the Cheetahs, although six of those eight wins have been by margins no greater than seven points.
The side is gunning for its sixth win in a row — a streak it has not matched since 2005.
Fine weather is forecast for the clash in Bloemfontein.
Highlanders v Cheetahs
Bloemfontein, tomorrow, 5am
Highlanders: Matt Faddes, Waisake Naholo, Malakai Fekitoa, Rob Thompson, Patrick Osborne, Marty Banks, Aaron Smith, Luke Whitelock (co-captain), Dillon Hunt, Elliot Dixon, Tom Franklin, Joe Wheeler, Siosuia Halanukonuka, Liam Coltman, Daniel Lienert-Brown. Reserves: Ash Dixon (co-captain), Aki Seiuli, Siate Tokolahi, Elliot Dixon, Gareth Evans, Kayne Hammington, Fletcher Smith, Richard Buckman.
Cheetahs: Clayton Blommetjies, Sergeal Petersen, Francois Venter, William Small-Smith, Raymond Rhule, Fred Zeilinga, Tian Meyer, Henco Venter, Teboho Mohoje, Paul Schoeman, Francois Uys, Carl Wegner, Johan Coetzee, Torsten van Jaarsveld, Ox Nche. Reserves: Elandre Huggett, Charles Marais, Tom Botha, Armandt Koster, Uzair Caseem, Neil Jordaan, Shaun Venter, Niel Marais.
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)