Or, if you prefer, 1072 days.
The Highlanders’ long winning drought against fellow New Zealand teams is an unavoidable topic of conversation as they head to Hamilton to play the powerful Chiefs this afternoon.
They have not won a Super Rugby derby since they pipped the Blues 35-29 on April 16, 2021, so long ago the competition had an "Aotearoa" at the end of it thanks to Covid.
Everyone is sick of talking about it. So, er, shall we talk about it?
Highlanders coach Clarke Dermody knows he will get the question every derby week and, to be fair to the man, he does not shy away from addressing the 17-game losing streak (sorry, mentioned it again) against fellow New Zealand teams.
They gave the Blues a good fright three weeks ago but there is an absolute sense the Highlanders need to win a derby, and soon, to get rid of their reputation as the plucky little brother.
"What we talk about now is: don’t be surprised to be in these games," Dermody said.
"We were right in the Blues game, and we’ve learnt from that, hopefully.
"We’re a good rugby team. Hopefully, the belief is growing so that when we get the opportunities in games, we can start taking them.
"We’re due. We’re building belief in the team that we’re good enough. The challenge is to believe we’re good enough from the start."
Beating the Chiefs would be a heck of a way to snap the losing streak.
Unsurprisingly, Dermody does not want to place too much extra significance on chasing a result against a New Zealand team.
"I think every game is important for us.
"We’ve put ourselves in positions to win every game this year. We haven’t won every game but that’s the challenge."
There was a time when the Highlanders had a great record against the Chiefs but the northerners have now won this fixture four straight times.
On paper, it is a mild mismatch.
Even with All Blacks hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho given a rest week and Anton Lienert-Brown scratched with concussion, the Chiefs are loaded from front to back, and each talented player fits in seamlessly around the best playmaker in the competition, Damian McKenzie.
They are boosted by the return of dangerous winger Emoni Narawa to the bench after a six-month break with a back injury, while lock Tupou Vaa’i is reinstated after a week off.
"They’re a pretty well-balanced team with good players across the park," was Dermody’s succinct assessment of the Chiefs.
"They’ve got a very solid forward pack to feed their backline.
"We need to try to pick out the aspects of the game that are going to be really important for us and focus on that for the week."
Two areas stand out.
The Highlanders will miss All Blacks prop Ethan de Groot as he nurses his head knock, and will need replacement Ayden Johnstone and his young front row partners to dig deep in the physical exchanges.
Then there is the small matter of stopping McKenzie and other potent attackers like Shaun Stevenson and Etene Nanai-Seturo.
The Chiefs have made 8.8 line breaks per game this season, more than any other team in the competition.
Dead last in that category — which jars with the eye test that they are a better watch and a more potent unit this season — are the Highlanders at 3.3 per game.
Rhys Patchell will provide his all-round guidance for the Highlanders backline but it would be nice if Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens and Timoci Tavatavanawai get a chance to turn opportunities into points.
The Highlanders will field the partnership of Sam Gilbert and Tanielu Tele’a for a fifth straight game.
That is the longest unbroken streak by a Highlanders midfield combination since Scott Gregory and Michael Collins played the last six games of the 2021 season, and Gilbert-Tele’a is the 10th different combination since
then.
No more talk about streaks. Time to break one today.
Highlanders v Chiefs
Hamilton, 4.35pm
Highlanders: Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, Timoci Tavatavanawai, Tanielu Tele’a, Sam Gilbert, Jona Nareki, Rhys Patchell, Folau Fakatava, Tom Sanders, Billy Harmon (captain), Sean Withy, Pari Pari Parkinson, Fabian Holland, Saula Ma’u, Henry Bell, Ayden Johnstone. Reserves: Jack Taylor, Daniel Lienert-Brown, Jermaine Ainsley, Oliver Haig, Nikora Broughton, James Arscott, Ajay Faleafaga, Connor Garden-Bachop.
Chiefs: Shaun Stevenson, Daniel Rona, Rameka Poihipi, Quinn Tupaea, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Damian McKenzie, Cortez Ratima, Luke Jacobson (captain), Kaylum Boshier, Samipeni Finau, Tupou Vaa’i, Josh Lord, Reuben O’Neill, Bradley Slater, Jared Proffit. Reserves: Tyrone Thompson, Aidan Ross, George Dyer, Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Wallace Sititi, Xavier Roe, Josh Ioane, Emoni Narawa.
