The Highlanders have five games before the break for the international test window. How they do in that run will decide their future in the 2016 season. Rugby writer Steve Hepburn looks at five things they need to achieve.
Hold Me
The Highlanders will create chances, especially on the nice dry turf under the roof at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
The concern of late is their ability to convert those chances into points.
The side has recently had a curse of the butterfingers.
Too many balls have been spilt.
Against the Force, the handling issues were so bad it was like the team had been sent round to clean up the city's mud tanks.
Poor hands comes from a loss of concentration.
Get better at that, hang on to the ball, and the team should start racking up the five-pointers.
Go your own way
The Highlanders have been slow out of the blocks of late.
It's as if not only are they cleaning those mud tanks but they are also wallowing in them for a while.
The side needs to skip clear and keep the foot on the throat for the best part of the game.
The opposition teams the Highlanders face in the next five games are of such quality they will not turn down a handy lead and the southerners will be left with too much to do.
The side needs to start well, bank some points from the pressure and then snuff out any thoughts of a comeback.
Seven wonders
The forwards can hold their own against most teams and the set piece is solid enough to deliver the ball for the backs.
This is where the seven men out the back come into the equation.
Men such as Malakai Fekitoa and Ben Smith have to come to the party and do something special against these good teams.
These forthcoming games are going to be close with little between the sides.
Often it comes down to something special by one of the players in a team. Cometh the hour, cometh the man.
Everywhere
As the weather eventually gets colder and the heavens do occasionally open up - and the mud tanks fill up - the game can become a bit of a grind.
That means the loose forwards of the Highlanders come more into the match and basically they have to get round the field.
They have to be here, there and everywhere.
Guys such as Liam Squire, Shane Christie and Elliot Dixon must come forward and get their hands on the ball and win the collision and be strong at the breakdown.
Dixon has come a long way in the past two years.
If he can keep rising up the improve line, an All Black jersey must surely not be far away.
Dreams
Now the Highlanders can control what they can do.
But in reality they have to hope and dream other sides go into a slump.
Many have picked only three New Zealand sides can make the playoffs, so along with the Blues, one of the other four teams will miss out.
It does look a distinct possibility but the way other sides from other countries are playing then the dream of four New Zealand sides getting through is possible.
Teams such as the Waratahs, the Bulls, even the Lions have to start picking up more losses than wins.
If that happens then four New Zealand sides may get into the playoffs.
Highlanders
Next five matches
• Tonight v Sharks, Forsyth Barr Stadium
• Saturday, April 30 v Brumbies, Invercargill
• Saturday, May 7 v Chiefs, Hamilton
• Friday, May 13 v Crusaders, Forsyth Barr Stadium
• Friday, May 27 v Hurricanes, Wellington