Lima Sopoaga yet to return

Highlanders fans will have to wait at least another week for Sopoaga's return

There was hope Sopoaga, who hasn't played since picking up a hamstring injury against the Blues in round three, would return to play the Stormers in Dunedin in Friday night.

However, Sopoaga will sit out a seventh consecutive game, meaning Marty Banks will again run the show and Fletcher Smith will provide cover off the bench. 

Sopoaga is joined on the sidelines by loose forward Luke Whitelock, who has been struck down by concussion-type symptoms on the back of the Highlanders' 40-15 win against the Sunwolves last weekend.