The Highlanders are fresh from their best 40 minutes of rugby all season.
But they had to dig deep in the second half against the Waratahs when Jona Nareki was sent off for a dangerous tackle.
They covered the gaps the best they could and held on to win 31-26.
The win kept their tenuous playoff prospects alive.
But that flame will be pretty much snuffed out if they lose to the Chiefs in Hamilton tonight.
And that is what Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens means when he says nothing has changed.
‘‘I guess we find ourselves in a position where week to week we're fighting for our season,’’ he said.
‘‘It's an exciting thing to have our backs against the wall and the Chiefs this week is an exciting opportunity to show what we've got.’’
They will take some confidence into a game most expect them to lose.
‘‘[That was] easily our best 40 of the season.
‘‘We weren't too happy with how we played over in Fiji and we had a real good review, a real hard look at ourselves.
‘‘In the first 40 minutes of the Waratahs, we were finding pictures that we had planned for a week and everything just seemed to click together.
‘‘So if we can do that for 80 minutes this week, I think we can come off with a good result.’’
Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens has a personal challenge as well. He will stand opposite Chiefs fullback Damien McKenzie, who has made 74 appearances for the All Blacks.
‘‘He's a world-class player. I think every team they come up against, they would have a look at how he plays the game.
‘‘It's an exciting challenge for me, personally, as is every week.’’
McKenzie and Highlanders-bound Josh Jacomb will combine in a dual playmaking role.
That will present some defensive challenges for the Highlanders.
The battle up front will be tough as well.
The Chiefs boast a formidable pack, which includes Wallace Sititi, Luke Jacobson, Simon Parker, Tupou Vaa’i and Samisoni Taukei’aho.
Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph has gone with a 6-2 split on the bench to bolster his options up front.
Openside Veveni Lasaqa joins the bench at the expense of outside back Xavier Tito-Harris.
There is no Nareki. He copped a two-week ban for his dangerous tackle on Waratahs’ prop Jack Barrett.
He has been replaced by Tanielu Tele’a.
The rest of the Highlanders' lineup is the same as the side that beat the Waratahs.
History is on the side of the Chiefs. They have won their last eight matches against the Highlanders — the longest winning run by either team in the fixture — and have not lost to the Highlanders in five years.
They are also just one win away from their 250th victory.
Some of the other statistics are not favourable for the Highlanders either.
The Chiefs average more points, more tries, more line breaks, beat more defenders and make more offloads.
The Highlanders lead in some of the negative statistics. They concede more penalties, miss more tackles and have lower lineout, scrum and ruck success than the Chiefs.
If the Highlanders are going to find a way to win against the odds, then they will need one of their most creative players, Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, to feature strongly.
Nothing has changed there.
Super Rugby Pacific
Hamilton, 7.05pm
Highlanders: Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, Caleb Tangitau, Tanielu Tele’a, Timoci Tavatavanawai (co-captain), Jonah Lowe, Cameron Millar, Adam Lennox, Nikora Broughton, Lucas Casey, Te Kamaka Howden, Mitch Dunshea, Tomas Lavanini, Angus Ta’avao, Jack Taylor, Ethan de Groot (co-captain).
Reserves: Henry Bell, Daniel Lienert-Brown, Saula Ma’u, Oliver Haig, Sean Withy,Veveni Lasaqa, Folau Fakatava, Taine Robinson.
Chiefs: Damian McKenzie, Liam Coombes-Fabling, Kyle Brown, Lalakai Foketi, Kyren Taumoefolau, Josh Jacomb, Xavier Roe, Wallace Sititi, Luke Jacobson (captain), Simon Parker, Tupou Vaa’i, Seuseu Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Sione Ahio, Samisoni Taukei’aho Ollie Norris.
Reserves: Brodie McAlister, Benét Kumeroa, George Dyer, Fiti Sa, Samipeni Finau, Cortez Ratima, Daniel Rona, Isaac Hutchinson.
