No stone has been left unturned for Moana Pasifika as they seek a second win in their Super Rugby Pacific game against the winless Highlanders in Dunedin on Friday.

Both teams would be looking for the win, and coach Aaron Mauger said he didn't hold any truck for thoughts of favouritism.

Their loss in the second game against the Blues had been frustrating for the side.

"It was good that our boys were disappointed. They were gutted with their performance because we didn't offer our best. We weren't patient enough. We weren't disciplined around executing our game around little things, the basics within our game, for longer.

"When we do that for long periods, we can put anyone under pressure and come away with the outcome.

"That's the challenge and that's been the big focus for this week – putting it in for 80 minutes," he said.

The loss had brought the side back to earth after their win over the Hurricanes a week earlier. But that turned the attention onto what Moana Pasifika can control in games.

Mauger said going through a second storm week was a challenge no other side would face. But it had created opportunities across their squad.

"We've capped 45 players so far for Moana Pasifika and we've celebrated all of those. It means so much to all those who have taken the field so far," he said.

"What it has done is make it hard to us to identify a top 23 at the moment. Everybody is putting their hands up and everyone is growing daily," he said.

As the former Highlanders coach, Mauger was looking forward to returning to Dunedin, where his family is based.

While winless, the Highlanders were strong in their last outing against the Crusaders, and their set-piece had been competitive all year.

"The Highlanders are a dogged team, they play tough, and they play tight. We've seen those things, and things haven't gone their way to get the results.

"They'll be hungry on Friday night, we're aware of that, but we're hungry as well," he said.

There were also benefits emerging for players who hoped to play Test rugby for the Pacific Island countries. Mauger said he had been in discussions with some of the coaches, and they noticed there had been a lift in intensity for some players.