"It's all about setting standards and winning," coach Glenn Moore said yesterday.
"We want to get into the habit of winning games and establish a pride in how we play."
The Highlanders have been training together since early December and have done a lot of work.
"But we don't really know how we have come together until we get quality opposition. It will give us a good gauge where we are and the work we still have to do."
The Highlanders have had a gruelling training schedule and the players are fit. But they still need to get match fit.
"The only way we can develop match fitness is to play games," Moore said.
"We have worked hard to get three full pre-Super 14 hit-outs compared to two last year when we were under-done by one game."
The Highlanders players are champing at the bit to get game time.
"There is a good level of excitement in the squad," Moore said. "The players are looking forward to playing.
"The main thing is to get game time and look at the way we can play the game," Moore said.
"We intend to rotate players during the game and nothing should be read into the starting combinations."
The inside pairing of Sean Romans and Mat Berquist will team together for the first time.
"We also want to team Sean with Daniel Bowden," Moore said. "We intend to try different combinations during the warm-up games."
Hawkes Bay centre Jason Shoemark will captain the Highlanders against the Chiefs in the absence of All Blacks Jimmy Cowan and Jamie Mackintosh, who are still being rested.
All Black Adam Thomson is also on the sidelines, as are injured players Ben Smith and Fetu'u Vainikolo.
All Blacks Richard Kahui, Liam Messam and Sitiveni Sivivatu are set to get game time for the Chiefs.
Coach Ian Foster is keen to see his players build on the momentum of last Saturday's initial pre-season run when the Chiefs beat the Blues 21-17 at Pukekohe.
"The timing is right to get Kahui, Messam and Sivivatu back in the mix, particularly with the next pre-season match for our guys not scheduled until February 7 against the Hurricanes at Gisborne," Foster said.
"We will again be putting our systems to the test as well as putting new combinations out on the field against the Highlanders."
The Rotorua game will be played in 20min quarters and starts at 6pm.
Highlanders v Chiefs
Tomorrow night
Highlanders: Israel Dagg, Lucky Mulipola, Jason Shoemark, Jayden Hayward, Kenny Lynn, Matthew Berquist, Sean Romans, Steven Setephano, Tim Boys, Hayden Triggs, Ross Kennedy, Josh Bekhuis, Anthony Perenise, David Hall, Keith Cameron.
Reserves: Jason Rutledge, Clint Newland, George Naoupu, Alando Soakai, Scott Cowan, Dan Bowden, Pehi Te Whare, Johnny Leota, Brett Mather, Karne Hesketh, Chris King, Peter Mirrielees, Tom Donnelly, Chris Noakes.
Chiefs: James Wilson, Lelia Masaga, Jackson Willison, Dwayne Sweeney, Tim Mikkelson, Mike Delany, Toby Morland, Colin Bourke, Tanerau Latimer, Liam Messam, Craig Clarke, Toby Lynn, James McGougan, Aled de Malmanche, Joe Savage.
Reserves: Hika Elliot, Hikairo Forbes, Sona Taumalolo, Culum Retallick, Romana Graham, Luke Braid, Serge Lilo, Sione Lauaki, David Bason, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Callum Bruce, Richard Kahui, Save Tokula, Trent Renata.
