The franchise is still waiting for players to come back from injury and will not have its full squad together until February at the earliest although that depends on what happens in Japanese club rugby.
Utility back Tamati Ellison and loose forward James Haskell are both playing for the Rioch Black Rams in Japan and that season does not usually conclude until well into February and possibly later depending on how well the team performs..
Along with this duo, other players coming back from injury, and All Blacks on leave, the members of the wider training squad have been virtually training fulltime with the squad.
Included in the wider training squad are hookers Liam Coltman and Brayden Mitchell, prop Jacob Ellison, lock Daniel Ramsay, halfback Nemia Kenatale, utility back Glenn Dickson and outside back Buxton Popoali'i.
Kenatale (25) played for Fiji at the World Cup and then played in the Barbarians side which lost heavily to Australia last month.
He has signed to play for Southland and may get a start for the Highlanders, at least in the warm-up games, as All Black Jimmy Cowan will take a while to get back into his work.
Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph has until January 20 to decide who to call into the squad as the eighth member of the wider training squad.
Without a loose forward in the wider squad it would seem a player from any of the three loose forward positions will be the eighth member of the wider squad.
Complicating matters is the fact key forward Jarrad Hoeata is out for up to four months after injuring his pectoral muscle earlier this month.
He has had surgery but will not be sighted for more than a month into the season.
Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph may look to call Daniel Ramsay into the full squad, although no decision will be made until the new year.
The Highlanders will finish their pre-Christmas training at lunchtime tomorrow and will then go their separate ways.
The squad, including their All Blacks, will re-assemble on January 9. The first game of the competition is on February 25 against the Chiefs in Hamilton.
