Several southerners are understood to be among players who have gathered in Tauranga this week for a training camp with the national coaches.
It does not necessarily mean they will be named in the All Blacks squad on Monday.
The camp does not involve players from either the Chiefs or the Crusaders, who are preparing for the Super Rugby Pacific final.
Still, it is a nice sign there are some Highlanders on the radar.
One is obviously prop Ethan de Groot, who might have lost his regular starting jersey last year but is close to a certain selection in the All Blacks.
Another is Dutch-born lock Fabian Holland, who had a whale of a season for the Highlanders and appears odds-on to see his fascinating childhood dream come true.
Highlanders co-captain Timoci Tavatavanawai is also involved.
His form this year was off the charts, and plenty of southern fans would love to see "Jim" get a chance to take his X-factor and otherworldly turnover skills into a black jersey.
It is understood other Highlanders players invited to Tauranga included fullback Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, loose forward TK Howden and hooker Jack Taylor.
Meanwhile, as has become a rather unfortunate regular occurrence, it has been confirmed neither the All Blacks nor France will spend a full week in Dunedin before the opening test at Forsyth Barr Stadium on July 5.
Dunedin once did "test week" like no other city but that is now trickier as international teams delay their arrival.
The Otago Daily Times understands the All Blacks will arrive in Dunedin on the evening of Tuesday, July 1.
Their schedule has not been confirmed but, while public trainings are a thing of the past, it is likely they will free up squad players for some sort of community engagement.
France will spend most of the week in camp at King’s ... College, in Auckland.
They will arrive in Dunedin only 48 hours before the test, and will have a quick jog at Forsyth Barr Stadium on the Friday before a captain’s press conference.
The Dunedin test is close to a sellout — about 1800 tickets remain — so the appeal of the All Blacks still comfortably outweighs disappointment at the French sending a squad shorn of many of their best players.
AFP reports France coach Fabien Galthie said this week he had he had no choice but to select a second-choice squad for the three-test series.
Stars like winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey, fullback Thomas Ramos and No8 Gregory Alldritt are rested after a gruelling club campaign, and superstar halfback Antoine Dupont is injured.
Galthie will be able to chose just five players from teams in the Top 14 final on June 28. They will come to New Zealand only for the second and third tests.
