Powerhouse No 8 Ronan Dynes is on the mend following a rough few weeks.
He broke the tibia and fibula in his lower right leg in the opening game of the season and required emergency surgery.
It was pretty serious for a period but he is expected to make a full recovery and will be back playing rugby next season.
The defending champions lead the Dunedin division 1 competition standings with 14 points from three games.
They are undefeated so far but have some issues to resolve before tonight’s game against University at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
They have five injured front-rowers and had to call back Terry Gough from retirement last weekend.
But who needs front-rowers when you have outside backs like Michael Manson?
The Highlanders winger scored four tries in the opening half to help Green Island register a 59-20 win over Alhambra-Union at the North Ground.
Grizzlies coach Hayden Finch is satisfied with how his side has started the campaign but they have an important game against University.
The students, who were edged 29-28 by Taieri at Logan Park on Saturday, emerge as a threat.
They looked good in patches against Taieri and they beat Green Island twice last year, including in the first round of the playoffs.
"We’ve just got to build phases and hold on to the ball for longer," Finch said when asked what his side was focused on ahead of the next round.
"But we are happy with where we’re at."
Southern and Zingari-Richmond will also get a run under the roof at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
The match is scheduled to get under way at the later time of 7.45pm.
Southern had a bye last week but started with a convincing win over University and followed up with a narrow loss to Harbour in an entertaining game at Bathgate Park.
The Colours posted a good win over Alhambra-Union in round one but have recorded a couple of chunky losses in the past two weeks.
Taieri will host Harbour at Peter Johnstone No 2, and that shapes as the game of the round.
Both teams are unbeaten. The new-look Harbour Hawks have been playing some sparkling rugby, while Taieri have bounced back from a poor season last year.
In the other game, Dunedin will look to post their opening win in 2025 against a struggling Alhambra-Union side at Tahuna Park.
It is a bottom-of-the-table fixture but Dunedin look to have too much firepower to be anchored towards the foot of the competition standings for too long.
Kaikorai have the bye.
