WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Playing for the All Blacks is every New Zealand rugby player’s dream.

But for 17 New Zealanders, missing out on the All Blacks’ historic test match against Samoa in Apia, the Samoan capital, next month won’t be such a bitter pill to swallow.

If those players from the Highlanders and Hurricanes who were named in Steve Hansen’s 41-man squad last Sunday do miss out, it will be because they have reached the Super Rugby final, which will be a major — and rare — achievement for either franchise.

The Highlanders’ sole appearance in a Super Rugby final was in 1999 when they lost to the Crusaders. The Hurricanes also lost to the Crusaders in their only appearance in the final in an infamous match in 2006 that was played in thick fog.

So on Saturday when the Hurricanes are scheduled to host the ACT Brumbies in Wellington and the Highlanders travel to Sydney to play defending champions, the New South Wales Waratahs, the All Blacks — and international rugby — will be far from their minds.