The Highlanders are among Super Rugby’s most effective scavengers, prompting Hurricanes halfback TJ Perenara to demand no turnover rubbish from his team on Friday.

The all-New Zealand clash in Dunedin is a meeting of two form sides.

The Highlanders have won their past three games following an opening loss to the Crusaders, while the Hurricanes are four from four to top the Kiwi conference.

The only unbeaten team in the competition, their success has been built around an organised defence and uncharacteristic patience on attack, where ball protection has been a priority.

Perenara says they will need more of the same against a Highlanders team lacking star names but who appear to be over-achieving for the second successive season.

“They are a team that have lived off very little ball,” he said.

“They haven’t had the best platform but they’ve been playing very well with what they’ve got.

“Teams have starved them of ball so for them to get up on some very good teams has been very impressive.”

A prime example was last weekend in Dunedin, where the defending champion NSW Waratahs dominated most facets but were guilty of turnovers and getting caught out by quick strikes from the hosts.

The Highlanders back three of Ben Smith, Waisake Naholo and Patrick Osborne have few peers for speed and elusiveness in the competition.

Centre Malakai Fekitoa also continues to impress and his clash with accomplished Hurricanes opposites Conrad Smith and Ma’a Nonu will be influential.

Fekitoa announced himself as a top flight player with a memorable tackle on Smith in the equivalent game last year.

The teams’ past 12 meetings have been decided by a margin of 12 points or less, with the southerners emerging winners on the last three occasions.

Injuries and suspensions are testing their depth at prop and loose forward while the Hurricanes are largely injury-free, aside from the elbow problem which has sidelined their All Blacks hooker Dane Coles.

Coles was ruled out at training on Wednesday, replaced by Motu Matu’u, with Brayden Mitchell coming onto the bench.