Their playoff hopes are hanging by a thread, they are bracing for the arrival of the best team in Super Rugby Pacific, and they are fighting off a few critical barbs after a thoroughly disappointing tour of Australia.
Outwardly, there seems to be plenty of unity in the squad, but it would be a surprise if there were not some harsh truths being discussed ahead of the clash with the rampant Chiefs at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Friday night.
"I think there needs to be an edge when you don’t get results," assistant coach Dave Dillon said yesterday.
"You don’t go out not to get results.
"Coming together collectively as a group and challenging is healthy in any high-performance environment. It’s good to have those conversations."
The Highlanders have had a season of three thirds, losing their first three games before winning their next three then losing another three on the bounce.
But while the first three losses came in the middle of an injury crisis and against much stronger New Zealand teams, there has been a clear sense of points being dropped in recent weeks.
Specifically, they let themselves down against the Force in Perth with some insipid play and poor discipline, and they blew a winning position against an underwhelming Waratahs team in Sydney.
"I think we needed to learn from both those games," Dillon said.
"We’ve spoken around those last 20 minutes [in Sydney], which was obviously really important. We didn’t exit and we got stuck in our own half.
"We can’t change that. What we can change is our mindset towards the best team in the competition coming down here, and get some excitement levels around how we’ll go against them."
Ah, yes, the Chiefs.
Not much to see here — just nine straight wins, including two over the defending champion Crusaders, an eight-point lead at the top of the table, and a 25-point gap to the Highlanders.
A team with no obvious weaknesses also has the form player of the competition, first five Damian McKenzie, along with a bunch of other attacking threats.
"For us, we need to really compete and make sure we are able to build some pressure with the ball. And off the ball, also build pressure so we can get it back," Dillon said.
"Every game is an opportunity. We’ll be rolling up our sleeves and looking forward to playing the Chiefs."
The Highlanders reported no new injuries when they returned from Australia.
Argentine winger Martin Bogado is close to a comeback after suffering a quad tear against the Fijian Drua, while fellow flyer Jona Nareki is in line for a start after making his first Super Rugby appearance in two years against the Waratahs.
"It was a pretty good performance given the rugby that he’s come off, and that’s a credit to the conditioning group," Dillon said.
"He’s pulled up really well after it."
Regular captain Billy Harmon returns after missing the last game due to a family bereavement, and lock Josh Dickson is available again after missing the Australian tour to be with his ill brother.
There could be interest in whether Connor Garden-Bachop holds on to the No 15 jersey, and what that would mean for Sam Gilbert if Thomas Umaga-Jensen returns to the midfield, while Freddie Burns might be pushing Mitch Hunt for a start at first five.
In the pack, the competition at loose forward will be intense.
Dillon pointed out it was a welcome change to have a contest for jerseys rather than just selecting the last men standing.
"We’d name a team on a Monday and get to the weekend and have multiple changes.
"I think we’re getting to the stage where that is sort of turning a bit and we’re getting a lot of bodies back, so then come the discussions around what group is suitable for the opposition we’ve got coming up.
"It’s nice to be having those conversations this week."
