Coach Jamie Joseph rates the Highlanders’ draw for this season’s Super Rugby competition as the most difficult of his tenure.

The Highlanders play five of their first six matches at home and the last six away from their Dunedin headquarters in what shapes as an awkward campaign.

“It’s the worst draw we’ve had in the five years I’ve been here,” he said.

“The competition is tough enough as it is, but we can’t do much about it. It’s certainly not ideal.”

Joseph said the Highlanders loved playing at the covered Forsyth Barr Stadium but – having so many games there early on, and during the Cricket World Cup – made it a challenge for supporters to go to every one.

“We’re hoping we can still get that support but it’s a pressure point,” he said.

Another pressure point is that, because the stadium will be used for the under-20 soccer World Cup, the Highlanders’ last regular-season game there will be as early as May 1.

Their one home fixture after that, against the Chiefs on May 30, will be in Invercargill.

It makes it imperative the Highlanders start strongly if they are to be a force in the competition. Poor results in February and March would make it difficult for them to be playoff contenders.

Joseph is confident his players can fire from game one.

“We’re that sort of team,” he said.

“We can’t gradually build into a season because we don’t have the number of star All Blacks some other teams do. There is certainly no lack of desire and we’re going to need it.”

The Highlanders have beaten the Crusaders (29-26) and the Brumbies (24-19) in pre-season games and they have their final dress rehearsal against the Rebels on Thursday night in Melbourne.

All Blacks Aaron and Ben Smith, and Malakai Fekitoa have not been part of the pre-season build-up for the Highlanders, who had midfielder Shaun Treeby and props Ma’afu Fia and Josh Hohneck concussed against the Brumbies.