Applications closed yesterday for the position to assist head coach Glenn Moore.
It was advertised after a review of the coaching roles by the New Zealand Rugby Union at the end of the 2008 season.
Highlanders chief executive Richard Reid told the Otago Daily Times last night a shortlist of five candidates had been made for the role.
The candidates would be interviewed on Thursday by Highlanders board members and staff and NZRU staff.
It was hoped an appointment could be confirmed within days. The position was held by Murray Roulston. He could not be contacted yesterday on whether he had applied for the position.
Russell made his intentions clear yesterday, saying he was happy to confirm he had applied for the assistant coaching role.
Russell is the rising star in New Zealand coaching ranks.
He has coached Hawkes Bay to two semifinals in the past couple of years, and is obviously highly regarded by the NZRU.
He coached Marist St Pats to three Jubilee Cup titles in Wellington club rugby, and then took charge of Wairarapa-Bush, coaching the side to win the old third division and backing that up by being at the helm when the side won the Meads Cup in 2006, the first year the competition was staged.
After that he left to steer Hawkes Bay and has managed to get the Magpies into the top four in both seasons.
Other names contacted yesterday indicated they had not applied or were keeping their cards close to their chest.
Northland coach Mark Anscombe, who missed out to Moore last year for the Highlanders head coaching role, said he was not applying for the position.
With both the Auckland and North Harbour coaching jobs up for grabs, Anscombe was believed to be chasing one of those positions.
Southland co-coach Simon Culhane was non-committal, saying he was still mulling it over, while his coaching partner David Henderson said he would not be seeking the position.
Other possible contenders could be Wellington coach Jamie Joseph, his assistant, Andre Bell, Canterbury assistant coach John Haggart, and Bay of Plenty coach Kevin Schuler.
The position should be sought after as it is only one of five available throughout the country, but many provincial coaches may prefer to stick close to their home base, while someone like Joseph has only just started coaching at provincial level, and may feel the position is too soon in his career.
Otago coach Steve Martin is the third man in the Highlanders coaching team, but he is employed by the Highlanders franchise, while the other two main coaching positions are employed by the NZRU.
Martin has been confirmed in his Highlanders position for next year.
The Highlanders are due to be named on October 31.
