The Highlanders suffered another setback when flanker Craig Newby was ruled out of Friday's Super 12 rugby match against the Stormers in Dunedin.
Newby has been struggling with an aggravation of a neck injury and woke with extreme stiffness.
Hale T-Pole has been drafted in from the wider training squad and will start at openside flanker, forming an all-Southland loose forward trio with Hoani MacDonald and Paul Miller.
Rookie Colin Bourke, who was selected ahead of T-Pole in the squad but is more of a No 8 who can cover flanker, remains on the bench.
With Josh Blackie away with the New Zealand Sevens team preparing for the World Cup later this month, the Highlanders were looking to respected vice-captain Newby to lead the effort in the loose.
But the neck injury Newby suffered in a pre-season game against the Chiefs took another knock against the Stormers last week, and it has been decided the flanker should not risk further injury.
"We're without both Craig and Josh and that's a huge loss for us," Highlanders assistant coach Phil Young said.
"That's a lot of experience we've lost. But we've got to stay positive and give the other guys a chance to show what they can do.
"Hale's a very good footballer and there's a bit of a combination there with the Southland boys."
The Highlanders leave on Saturday for matches in South Africa and both T-Pole and Newby will travel with side but there is some doubt Newby will be fit to play the Sharks next week.