Coming off a bye, the Highlanders reassembled on Sunday to start training again for the match against the much maligned Blues at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Friday night.
Head coach Jamie Joseph said the players had a bounce in their step and had a good week away to freshen up and many went home to see family and friends.
But that rest is history and it was now about preparing for the Blues and then heading off for a two-match tour of South Africa.
Joseph said the injury situation had improved slightly, with midfield backs Siale Piutau and Kendrick Lynn both getting through games of club rugby on Saturday.
Joseph said playing club rugby was obviously different than playing Super 15 but it was good to have the players back on the paddock.
Hooker Andrew Hore and Jason Rutledge also played club rugby in the weekend.
Joseph said he had no issue with that as both were older guys who enjoyed having a runaround and giving something back to their clubs.
Props Ma'afu Fia and Bronson Murray are struggling with leg injuries and Jacob Ellison was on the reserves bench in the loss to the Stormers. He hoped one of the props would be available for Friday night.
Smith suffered a concussion - his second of the season - in the loss to Stormers and Joseph said he had not trained in the past couple of days.
A decision on whether he would play would be made on Thursday"He is a key player for us but we want him to be right for not only this game but the whole season. We will see how he shapes up in the next couple of days," Joseph saidWith Colin Slade and Lima Sopoaga out for the season, Delany, who has been training with the Highlanders for at least a week, had been brought in to boost the No 10 position, but his signing is taking longer than expected.
Highlanders general manager Roger Clark was hopeful Delany would sign today.
It had been a complicated process as with Delany still contracted to the Panasonic Wild Knights in Japan, insurance had to be confirmed for the player.
The Blues, tipped by many to be frontrunners this year, have had a horror season and have won just the one game.
They will come to Dunedin without skipper Keven Mealamu, who picked up a calf injury in the team's loss to the Sharks last Friday night. It was confirmed yesterday Mealamu would miss this week's game.
But despite missing their skipper and not playing well, Joseph is loath to take the Auckland-based side lightly.
"This game will mean a lot to them. They are playing for All Black places, playing for their rugby integrity and playing for their respect.
"From the games I have watched of them, they are trying really, really hard, but some of their passes are just not sticking. But it only takes one to stick and they will start scoring tries. And they have scored some good tries already."
The match is for the Gordon Hunter Trophy which the Highlanders have not held since 2006.
In the past 10 matches between the sides, the Highlanders have only won twice.
