Two similar teams - two very different conditions.
The Highlanders will swap the Brisbane heat for the cool temperatures under the roof when they meet the Western Force in Dunedin on Saturday afternoon.
They will be looking to bounce back from their disappointing 31-14 loss to the Reds.
‘‘We felt like we prepared as well as we could have to get over to Brisbane and then we just didn’t take our opportunities,’’ Highlanders assistant coach Clarke Dermody said.
‘‘We had created plenty in that first half to get the scoreboard pressure on the Reds but we didn’t... and then we were the guys chasing the game which is pretty hard in the conditions over there.’’
Attention now turns to the Force, who notched their first win of the season 35-19 against Moana Pasifika last round.
Dermody noted they were similar to the Reds, but the Highlanders needed to be prepared for anything.
‘‘They like to hold the ball. They’ve had a bit of a tough start until the weekend when they played Moana Pasifika.
‘‘They changed their game a bit. They started to kick a bit more, so yeah, we’ve got to prepare for both styles.’’
Australian teams have stepped up in the past couple of seasons and playing across the Ditch is never easy.
‘‘I guess they’re playing more like the Wallabies are. They’re pretty strong around set piece now.’’
Former All Blacks and Wallabies scrum coach Mike Cron had been ‘‘chipping away’’ behind the scenes, and former Highlanders assistant Tom Donnelly, who is now an assistant with the Wallabies, helped their lineout development, Dermody said.
‘‘Definitely improving in that area and they’re hard teams to stop.’’
The Highlanders walked away unscathed injury-wise from the Brisbane game and fans will be hoping to catch a glimpse of two big men on the park soon.
Argentinian lock Tomas Lavanini and co-captain Hugh Renton are yet play this season and have been getting minutes under their belt for the development Bravehearts.
Lavanini has been available for selection for the past few weeks. The lock was still getting up to speed with the Highlanders style of play after missing part of the preseason, Dermody said.
Renton, who is working his way back after a long injury layoff, was tracking well but ‘‘his leadership is shining through whether he’s in the team or not’’.
