The Sunwolves have been little more than cannon fodder for the two New Zealand sides they have come up against.
The Hurricanes scored more than 80 points in about an hour while the Crusaders barely got out of second gear in racking up a half century last week in Christchurch.
So it should be a cakewalk.
Well, it should but chances are it will not be.
One has to remember this is the Highlanders. The side which gets a bucketful of points about as often as North Koreans hold a peace march.
For whatever reason the Highlanders just do not do the easy, clinical win. They win more than they lose but it is never a walk in the park.
At times it seems as if they enjoy battling it out to the very end. The trenches seem to be the place they like to linger.
Plus the Highlanders have been caught before in Inver-
cargill - mugged by a side
they were supposed to beat easily - back in 2013 when the lowly Cheetahs turned them over.
For the home side, well, in a home away from home, the game is just about doing the basics well and not getting carried away.
Highlanders captain Ben Smith said everyone had trained well this week and doing the basics was what they were concentrating on.
``It will be a tough game for us. We have prepared well and the guys are looking forward at running out in Invercargill and putting on a good performance,'' Smith said.
``We don't come down here too often and we have got a lot of loyal fans down here. So we don't want to let them down.
``It is about staying in our structures and backing our skills. They have a lot of guys who have plenty to play for and will be motivated to play well.''
The Highlanders have picked a big loose forward trio and are bound to be physical against the Sunwolves, who struggle to match the intensity of the New Zealand sides.
The home team may lose a bit in mobility with Elliot Dixon at openside flanker but the Highlanders will be looking to barge over the advantage line.
The Sunwolves have also lost Blues lock Liaki Moli, who has gone back to Japan after picking up an injury in the loss to the Crusaders. He was one of the best for the Sunwolves in the collision area so will be missed.
Discipline was an area the Highlanders would be looking to improve after a sloppy effort last hit-out against the Blues. They were almost whistled off the park in the first half in that game and know they can ill afford to repeat that.
It is the same referee involved - Jamie Nutbrown - so they know what is coming.
The Sunwolves have named former Highlander Fumiaki Tanaka at halfback and ex-Force lock Sam Wykes in the second row.
Former Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph was expected to travel to New Zealand with
the Sunwolves but he is coaching a Japanese side at a three-team tournament in South Korea.
The weather is expected to be fine for the game and a crowd of 6500-7000 is expected.