All Black wing Waisake Naholo is poised to return to the Highlanders back three, providing he negotiates the next phase of his comeback from a fractured leg through Dunedin club rugby.
Naholo suffered his latest leg injury in the dying stages of the Super Rugby champion's opening round loss to the Blues on February 26 and his rehabilitation has been carefully monitored at the franchise's headquarters.
The 24-year-old is now back in full contact training so a run in the club competition this weekend for the Harbour Hawks is the next logical step.
Should be emerge unscathed, Highlanders assistant coach Scott McLeod said the imposing finisher could play against the New Zealand conference-leading Chiefs in Hamilton on May 7.
“It's great news,” he said.
It was originally hoped Naholo - the competition's leading try-scorer in 2015 - might have recovered in time to play the Sharks in Dunedin last weekend.
In Naholo's absence, Matt Faddes, Ryan Tongia and Jack Wilson have deputised for the World Cup-winner on the right wing