Steve Hepburn

The Highlanders have served up a much improved dish this season.

The Highlanders cannot afford to pick and choose their matches and it is starting to have an impact on their results, coach Jamie Joseph says.

The Southern Region made no race of winning the Topp Cup in Balclutha yesterday, running out an easy 34-5 victor over Central Otago.

Halfback Aaron Smith could be an option to move one place further out for the Highlanders in their must-win match against the Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday night.

Finance appears to be the biggest obstacle in getting the likes of Andrew Hore at the Highlanders next season.

Green in more ways than one. The lack of basic rugby brains came back to haunt the Highlanders last night as they lost 21-14 to the Force at Carisbrook

The Highlanders' new playing strip is not an insult to past teams, as the side does not have a tradition, the Highlanders boss says.

The Highlanders have re-signed five more players and have now secured 22 players for next season.

John Hardie is rewarded for some excellent play over the past few weeks with a start in the Highlanders' crucial match against the Force at Carisbrook tomorrow night.

The Highlanders are still in the playoff hunt and coach Jamie Joseph hopes his side has learnt some tough lessons from Saturday night's loss to the Lions.

The Highlanders have confirmed they will play in a new shirt against the Force at Carisbrook on Friday ahead of a permanent switch from their traditional blue jerseys.

Adam Thomson makes an early return from injury and Siale Piutau and Shaun Treeby are also back as the Highlanders chase a win against the Lions at Carisbrook tomorrow night.

Otago Rugby Football Union chairman Wayne Graham is unhappy about a suggested new Highlanders jersey, saying it goes against tradition and risks the future of the franchise in the South.

Former Otago assistant coach David Latta and former Otago B coach Mike Moeahu will not have representative coaching jobs this season.

Carisbrook could be in line to host the Super 15 final but it is going to have to rely on a few results falling the right way and fighting off the competition of other cities.

Never in his wildest dreams when Eben Joubert first arrived in New Zealand did he ever think he would one day be Otago captain.

Neill Baker has been on the sideline at Otago Boys' High School rugby matches for more than three decades. Rugby writer Steve Hepburn talks to the former teacher who is now enjoying retirement.

There are 14 new players in the Otago squad named for the ITM Cup but the coaches have acknowledged they may have to go outside those selected for the forthcoming competition.