The Highlanders are in the market for Hosea Gear and met the All Black winger in Dunedin yesterday.
Gear's career appears to be in a state of limbo despite being the form winger in New Zealand last year, and becoming a test regular on the All Black end of year tour.
But the fallout from the furore around the Hurricanes has left some key players wondering about their future and Gear is one of them.
Though Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph and general manager Roger Clark could not be contacted last night, the Otago Daily Times believes Gear was in Dunedin yesterday to meet Joseph and Highlanders officials.
He is off contract with the Hurricanes and with Hurricanes coach Mark Hammett looking to clean-out the franchise, the Gisborne-born Gear may be looking at new pastures.
Close friend Ma'a Nonu has left the Hurricanes while Piri Weepu is also wondering if he has a future in the capital.
Gear had a year to remember in 2010, playing a starring role for the New Zealand Maori team, which was his path into the All Blacks.
The coach of that New Zealand Maori team was Joseph and he successfully recruited Maori players Jarrad Hoeata and Aaron Smith into the Highlanders this year.
Joseph made it clear near the end of the just completed season that getting one or two game breakers was the key to the side making the push into the playoffs.
Getting Gear, along with a fit Kade Poki, and Ben Smith at fullback, would give the Highlanders a potent attacking back three.
The Highlanders have already re-signed 22 players for next season.
• Former All Black captain Taine Randell has been dropped from the Rugby World Cup commentary box by TV3, The New Zealand Herald reported.
Randell had been in talks with the network to become part of a commentary team alongside Hamish McKay and Andrew Mehrtens.
But he has been dumped in favour of his former team-mate Josh Kronfeld.
Randell said yesterday TV3 reneged on the verbal deal, and that he was disappointed with the way he had been given the boot.
"Very disappointed. I assumed we had a way of dealing in New Zealand, in terms of integrity and the rest of it - that didn't apply to TV3."
TV3 spokeswoman Rachel Lorimer said that the network had first spoken to Randell in February but after hearing no further response it decided to proceed without him.
