Growing agitation for some changes to any plans for Super Rugby Aotearoa in 2021 is likely to see plenty of discussion between franchises and New Zealand Rugby in the competition wash-up.
The 10-week replacement for Super Rugby, developed as a response to Covid-19's interruption of the regular rugby season, has proven popular with fans, and has attracted record crowds.
But it has also taken its toll on players.
Hurricanes captain and halfback TJ Perenara has already called it 'unsustainable'.
The side's assistant-coach Chris Gibbes said it was his opinion, and not necessarily that of the organisation, that there had to be some changes in any future competition.
"It's a pretty brutal competition physically. You've just got to go through the teams and look at the amount of injuries that every team has got, or has had.
"It's physical, intense, it's fast, all of those things and it's awesome to watch as a spectator but again, from a player management point of view in terms of loadings there would have to be some sort of change [in any future competition]," he said.
Gibbes said the Highlanders had been 'gutsy' in their game with the Crusaders and it had been good for the Hurricanes to appreciate that ahead of their game on Saturday in Dunedin.
While the Hurricanes would be able to claim they were the only side to lower the Crusaders' colours during the tournament, they had been guilty of not finishing off some opportunities in their first game against them, which they lost.
Now what was left was to exit the competition in the best possible way and that would be by claiming second place.
"It's important for us that we play well and finish strongly in this competition," he said.
Gibbes said the covered stadium in Dunedin would ensure the Highlanders would be looking to get the ball in the air and to keep it moving and that was something the Hurricanes liked to do. He expected both teams to look to play positively.
The Hurricanes would go into the game with an optimistic game plan and the conditions should be ideal to achieve that.