No shortage of Saturday games for Highlanders next season

Saturday night is all right for the Highlanders next year.

The Highlanders have had plenty of Friday night rugby in recent times but they will be mostly weekend warriors in 2024.

Super Rugby released the draw yesterday and there are some interesting points to note for southern fans.

The Highlanders have just six home games, as one is in Melbourne as part of Super Round.

No fewer than five of those home games will be on Saturdays, the lone exception a Sunday game against the Fijian Drua.

The Highlanders open their campaign with a Saturday night game against Moana Pasifika at Forsyth Barr Stadium on February 24 before a niggly stretch that includes the Blues in Melbourne, the Waratahs in Sydney, the Brumbies in Dunedin and the powerful Chiefs in Hamilton.

A home clash with the Hurricanes on Easter Saturday will be followed by the bye.

Then it is back to Australia for a mini-tour — remembering that is where the 2023 campaign came slightly off the rails — against the Rebels and Reds.

The Highlanders then host the Force before heading somewhere on the road to play Moana Pasifika, who are desperately hoping to get some home games in the islands.

Circle May 11 as that it when the Highlanders welcome their hated rivals, the defending champion Crusaders, for what will surely be the biggest crowd of the season at the Dunedin stadium.

Away games against the Blues and the Hurricanes bookend the Drua clash to end the season.

It is not the draw from hell, like this season, but the Highlanders will still face a formidable challenge to bank enough wins to return to the playoffs, especially as they have struggled so much against fellow New Zealand teams of late.

They will not be unhappy about playing struggling Moana Pasifika twice.

They also face two clashes against both the Blues and Hurricanes.

Much interest surrounds the Blues’ decision to leave "TBC" next to most of their home games with speculation they will be playing fewer games at Eden Park.

Blues chief executive Andrew Hore said he did not "see a life of the Blues without Eden Park" despite the team having no Super Rugby matches scheduled there next season.

Speaking to Newstalk ZB’s D’Arcy Waldegrave yesterday, Hore said the draw was out "earlier than expected" and the club was exploring all possible options.

Despite repeated questions about where the Blues would play next season locally, Hore emphasised any announcement would come after the club was able to consult its members.

Asked about other possible venues, he said the All Blacks match at Mt Smart in July "broke a few hoodoos" in regards to how it was regarded among rugby fans traditionally.

Hore said it was likely big local derbies against teams such as the Crusaders would continue to be played at Eden Park.