The Waratahs, the first Australian Super 15 team to train at the Forsyth Barr Stadium, enjoyed the experience yesterday.
"It is impressive," coach Michael Foley said. "You can come here and play on such a wonderful surface in all weather conditions."
He expects the atmosphere to be electric tonight.
"I know that the crowd gets behind the home team and that provides for a fantastic atmosphere."
The surface provides opportunities to move the ball.
"But unless you get the battleground right up front that opportunity doesn't exist," Foley said.
Foley watched on television when the Highlanders beat the Crusaders 27-24 last weekend.
"They were able to stifle the Crusaders attacks by being physical in the close channels," he said.
"That made it difficult for the Crusaders to be effective when they did try to play wide."
Foley developed the Bath pack into the most formidable in Europe when he coached in England and he has strengthened the forwards since joining the Waratahs in 2009.
"There have been some pleasing things in the first two games but we realise that the Highlanders challenge is a step up on anything we have faced this year," he said.
Foley is pleased by the progress the Waratahs have made in the past two years and particularly in the first two games this year.
"But the Highlanders forwards are a benchmark in terms of physicality in the tight and in their breakdown play," he said.
Foley said it would be difficult to beat the Highlanders.
"They are one of the most difficult teams to play against because they ask you a lot of questions with their defence," he said.
"We need to make good decisions so that we don't allow our attack to leak points."
