The side lost another couple of players to injury after the close loss to the Hurricanes on Friday night.
Following the loss, the Highlanders now sit 12th on the table and, with the season nearing the halfway stage, the southern team is going to have to start winning shortly to remain in the playoff hunt.
But it is not going to be easy with some key members of the backline sitting on the sideline with injuries.
Backs Waisake Naholo (knee) and Aaron Smith (ankle) are already missing having suffered injuries before the match with the Hurricanes.
They will be joined in the casualty ward by utility back Richard Buckman and first five-eighth Marty Banks, who are also out for the foreseeable future.
Buckman injured his right Achilles in the opening minutes on Friday night and his foot is now in an ankle brace.
He has yet to have a full diagnosis but there are fears he has ruptured his Achilles. That would finish his season, as recovery for that injury is well past six months.
Banks has fractured his left foot and is expected to be out for anywhere up to six weeks.
Josh Ioane was set to play half a game for his Southern club side on Saturday but that was canned after the extent of Banks' injury was known. Banks did not leave the field on Friday night.
Ioane is most likely to come in for Banks. Buckman was replaced on Friday night by Rob Thompson, who is likely to get the start against the Crusaders.
Matt Faddes, who came in for Naholo, also tweaked his knee on Friday night but is expected to be right.
It is hardly the ideal preparation for a match against the defending champion Crusaders.
But the Highlanders will not be waving the white flag when they run out on to the field in Christchurch.
It will be Ben Smith's 150th game for the Highlanders, if he plays, and that should be incentive enough to get out and take victory.
Highlanders coach Aaron Mauger said after the close 31-28 loss on Friday night the only way to approach the game was to get excited about it.
"It is an exciting opportunity for us. What better place to go and turn things around? They are going to be strong; they are a quality side," Mauger said.
"We just have to take everything we have got and throw it at them. We can't sit back and let them play their game, as they are very good at it."
In other games over the weekend, the Reds beat the Stormers 24-12 the Sharks stunned the Lions 42-5, the Rebels downed the Sunwolves 42-15 and the Jaguares defeated the Bulls 22-20.
In New Zealand, the Crusaders beat the Brumbies 36-14 and the Blues edged the Waratahs 32-29.