The Highlanders will hold an internal trial today, giving captain Andrew Hore his first opportunity of the year.
Hore is coming back from a five-week suspension received on the All Black tour late last year. He will be keen to hit the ground running, and get some match minutes under his belt.
The Highlanders have a bye this week and are using the trial as a way to keep players sharp.
Also looking for some time on the paddock is first five-eighth Colin Slade. He will start in the same team as Hore, and will be outside Japanese halfback Fumiaki Tanaka.
Slade, who missed most of last year with a broken leg, played 40 minutes against the Crusaders Knights in Christchurch last week.
Also involved are promising Otago players such as Michael Collins, Kieran Moffat and Jackson Hemopo.
The Blue team will be coached by Tony Brown and Jason Macdonald, while Jon Preston and Kees Meeuws will coach the Green team.
Many of the front-line Highlanders are not playing and are resting up over the weekend.
The match, which kicks off at 11am at the University Oval back ground, will have 30-minute halves, with liberal use of substitutions.
The Highlanders' next game is against the Cheetahs in Invercargill next Saturday.
Highlanders trial
The teams
Blue: Tony Ensor, Fa'asiu Fuatai, Phil Burleigh, Tei Walden, Buxton Popoali'i, Hayden Parker, Frae Wilson, Elliot Dixon, Hadleigh May, TJ Ioane, Tom Franklin, Jackson Hemopo, Chris King, Liam Coltman, Jamie Mackintosh.
Green: Trent Renata, Kieran Moffat, Jason Emery, Michael Collins, Jayden Spence, Colin Slade, Fumiaki Tanaka, Jake Paringatai, Willis Scott, Paul Grant, Jarrad Hoeata, Rob Verbakel, Ma'afu Fia, Andrew Hore, Bronson Murray.
