The Sharks have been plagued by injury and are slipping into a dangerous losing rut, and Sharks coach John Plumtree is keen to regain that winning feeling tonight.
''Obviously, it is a crunch game for us in the competition, in terms of staying in the top bunch and keeping up with the Cheetahs and the Bulls in our conference, so it is a really big game for us,'' he said.
''At the start of the season I looked at the side and thought we had every position covered if we lost someone. But then we lost something like 12-13 guys and it does become a problem.
''We battled away with it. We were going OK. Now comes a crucial time. We have to perform this weekend.''
The Sharks were sitting in the top three a couple of rounds ago but have lost their past three games, beaten by the Stormers, the Cheetahs and the Chiefs last week in Hamilton.
All of a sudden, the Sharks are eighth, and must start winning if they are to have any hope of matching last year's effort of reaching the final.
A lack of tries has not helped - they have scored 17 all season, but 10 of those came in one game against the Rebels, and in five of their nine matches they have failed to score a try.
''We were one of the top try-scoring teams in the competition last year,'' Plumtree said.
''This year it has been tough. We start off playing in Durban in the hottest part of the year when the ball is hard to handle. We have had so many injuries to key players we have had to rely on Pat's [kicker Pat Lambie] boot. We scored 10 against the Rebels, four last week, so we are getting back to where we can play.
''For us, it has been a pretty frustrating campaign, just the amount of guys injured.''
Captain Keegan Daniel said the Sharks would not be taking the Highlanders lightly, despite the southern franchise's winless record.
''A lot of people will be saying they have lost all those games in a row so it should be just a hit-out for us. But that is not the case. They are a quality outfit,'' Keegan said.
''It is just not happening for them. We know they have a lot to offer.''
Daniel comes back into the side, along with young flanker Marcell Coetzee on the openside flank.
Springbok wingers JP Pietersen and Lwazi Mvovo are also over injuries and come into the team, which has a quality backline, and bulk in the forwards.
