Will it be a case of third time lucky for the Highlanders as they face the Chiefs in Hamilton tomorrow night?
So far, the defending champions have denied the warriors from the deep South bragging rights, dishing out a 36-14 defeat in a pre-season game, and another blow to the ego by 14 points in the opening week of Super rugby.
If their respective standings on the table have any impact on confidence, the Chiefs, who are second, will be feeling almost invincible, while the Highlanders, dwelling at the bottom of the table, will feel a sense of vulnerability. They may also be feeling a little anxious as time is running out for them to climb up the competition ladder in a bid to make the playoffs.
As the official team website suggests, the name and image of the Highlander conjures up visions of fierce independence, pride in one's roots, loyalty, strength, kinship, honesty and hard work.
If the Highlanders are to deliver this season on the potential they showed last year, they'll need to draw on some of these traits.
A Highlander is also associated with unity borne from adversity - and hardship is something the Highlanders are used to, having never won the Super rugby title, coming close on only four occasions back in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2002.
In the heyday of the Highlanders, the Chiefs were not even considered a threat, and didn't make their first semifinal appearance until 2004. But that is all history now, as the Chiefs go into the game strong favourites with a point to prove that they are not a flash-in-the-pan team.
So, what tricks do the Highlanders still have up their kilts despite their injury woes and lack of fortune so far?There will be some exciting match-ups with the likes of high-flying halfback Aaron Smith against Tawera Kerr-Barlow, and the excitable (Brodie Retallick) versus the experienced (Brad Thorn). There will likely be a clash of the Dan Carter understudies (aka the World Cup supersubs) with Aaron Cruden v Colin Slade, and if Nick Crosswell makes the field, it will be interesting to see what treatment he gets from his old team-mates.
Although the Highlanders will miss the leadership of Andrew Hore, they will gain the tenacity and fierce spirit of Jason Rutledge - a Super rugby chameleon but his veins will always run blue, gold and maroon.
There are several players who may be back from injury to spice up an otherwise predictable lineup, with the likes of Ma'a Nonu, Richard Kahui, Robbie Robinson and Brendon Leonard all putting their hand up to be selected.
And then there are the in-form players for both teams such as Hosea Gear, Liam Messam, Kade Poki and Lelia Masaga to provide some razzle, dazzle and eye candy in the absence of Sonny Bill Williams.
As the old saying goes: a team of champions doesn't necessarily make a champion team. It took the Chiefs until 2012 to get their formula right and they're out to prove they can repeat their winning recipe this season.
The Highlanders hinted at getting their culture and mix near perfect last year, but, once again, injuries and a lack of maturity as a champion team may be their downfall.
Can the players invoke some of that Highlander spirit to beat the odds and start a winning streak they desperately need?Highlanders fans (including myself) hope so, and we'll remain fiercely independent, proud, loyal and strong in the face of adversity.