The side returned from Argentina two weeks ago and immediately went into a 14-day lockdown which was introduced by the Government while the Highlanders were in Buenos Aires.
That two-week period ends today, but it is no party, as the national lockdown is in force until April 23.
Head coach Aaron Mauger initially returned to his house and decided his wife Amy and his two younger children Ivy (8) and Hugo (6) would go into self-isolation with him.
His two older children Felix (15) and Zoe (13) stayed with friends, which he said was tough as they had to split the family up.
But when the national lockdown was announced last week, the family came together again and was ready to get through to the end of it — whenever that may be.
Mauger said it was about being comfortable in the bubble, maintaining distance and making sure everyone was keeping fit and healthy. He had gone for a few runs and logged plenty of walks.
Just past halfway through their self-isolation when the lockdown was announced last week, Mauger was not too disappointed, saying it was inevitable and backed the Government’s decision.
Time in isolation, he felt, could be put to good use.
"Just the time to find where you are at. Acknowledge what you are feeling and acknowledge the situation you are in ... an opportunity to assess what you want to achieve," Mauger said.
He said people could only control what they could control.
Players had been given time to get home and many had returned to family in the North Island.
The players were concentrating on keeping fit and as the lockdown continued the connections between players and coaching staff would increase.
Though it was still very much unknown, Mauger hoped a Super Rugby competition would be played out this year. There was no time frames around that, but fitness coaches at all franchises were discussing plans.
Scrums, tackling and mauls were obviously out for training during the lockdown, so Mauger said when — or if — they came back together they would need three to four weeks of pre-season training to get ready for the kick-off of the resumed season.
Mauger and the coaching team had looked back at the season so far, in which the Highlanders had tallied just one win, four losses and a draw for the abandoned game with the Jaguares.
What became clear was the side was struggling to maintain a high intensity for a significant period of the game.
Against quality teams, that was leading to periods where it was just falling off and conceding points.
The coaching team had perhaps underestimated how much this intensity was needed in the game and it would take time for the players to come up to speed.
Mauger confirmed no players or management had symptoms of Covid-19.