But, as the All Black flanker points out, that is always the case when two New Zealand teams meet on the field.
"It's no different to any other year. When you play another New Zealand team, it's like an All Black trial," Thomson said yesterday.
"There's no love lost in the derby games. You always want to beat the New Zealand teams, and beat your opposite number.
"It's going to be a tough game for us, especially having come back from Africa."
It is one of those potentially vital games for the Highlanders (34 points), who face a difficult finish to the season and need to keep winning to stay in the hunt for a first appearance in the play-offs in a decade.
Their place in the top six could be taken by the Hurricanes if Mark Hammett's revived young team can do a smash and grab at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
"I've been quite impressed with the Hurricanes," Thomson said.
"They remind me a lot of us last year - written off from the start, playing for pride, improving throughout the season.
"They've got X-factor players, so they're a dangerous team."
Thomson is not quite the last man standing but he is one of the few Highlanders loose forwards whose season has not been plagued by injury or disciplinary strife.
Outstanding openside flanker John Hardie (toe), Doug Tietjens (knee) and Elliot Dixon (pectoral) are gone for the season, while lock-flanker Nick Crosswell is only just back on the field and James Haskell has two more weeks of a suspension to serve.
"I don't know about that No 7 jersey. It seems like it's cursed," Thomson said, smiling.
"We've had some bad luck. It's a part of rugby, I guess. We seem to be getting hit pretty hard.
"We're used to it. The last couple of seasons, we've seen quite a few serious injuries.
"You can't dwell on it. You have to get on with it and have faith that the guys who come in are going to take their opportunities."
Thomson would appear to be in pole position in the race to stake a claim to the No 6 All Black jersey vacated by Jerome Kaino.
He should add to his 26 caps in the June window, when the All Blacks host Ireland in a series while the Super 15 takes a break, but has been staying focused on the Highlanders campaign.
He has had a meeting with new coach Steve Hansen but otherwise won't switch into test mode until the squad is named on June 3.
Thomson is at an age - 30 - where most leading New Zealand rugby players are overseas or at least eyeing up the financial benefits it offers.
He's in no rush. He was a late starter, not really establishing himself as a Highlander until he was 26.
"I'm still very happy playing here. I'm enjoying playing for the Highlanders and I want to be an All Black. So I guess New Zealand is the place for me to be.
"I haven't got that idea in my head that I want to head overseas yet. All the players I know that have gone overseas have said they knew when the time was right to move on.
"That hasn't happened to me.
"For me, I only had my breakthrough year in 2008.
"So I probably feel like I've still got something to offer to rugby in New Zealand."
