Marty Banks will line up for the Highlanders again in the 2017 Super Rugby season.

Highlanders coach Tony Brown is viewing the Global 10s tournament as a chance to provide players a different twist to what has been a tough preseason campaign to date.

The Highlanders will play the Crusaders in Darfield in their opening preseason outing on February 4 and they will finish with a game against New South Wales Waratahs in Sydney on February 16.

Sandwiched in between will be a trip to Brisbane for the new 10-a-side tournament on February 11 and 12.

While another 15s game will be viewed by most as better preparation leading into the Super Rugby campaign Brown has extracted a positive from the shortened format.

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"Preseason games can be a bit of a drag, so for us, it is an exciting and different opportunity to test ourselves physically against what will be some pretty tough opposition," he said.

Brown said outside injured first five-eighth Hayden Parker they had come through relatively unscathed on the injury front to date.

Outside the rested All Blacks, Brown will have the majority of players available for the three preseason assignments.

The Highlanders players will probably be looking forward to taking to the field for actual games after a tough training phase.

"We have had six weeks almost and the players have been put through the wringer. It has been challenging for the young guys but we are looking pretty good at the moment."

Meanwhile, it is official...Marty Banks is a Highlander again.

Banks has replaced the injured Parker in the 2017 squad after Parker injured his knee during a training session.

"I can confirm that I will be returning to the Highlanders for this Super season.

"Unfortunately, my old mate Hayden Parker has injured himself so an unexpected opportunity has opened up.

"I will be joining Treviso at the end of the Super season and I would like to thank Treviso for their understanding, but it is better for me that I am in NZ over the next few months," Banks said in a statement released on Thursday.

Banks was originally scheduled to start with Italian club Treviso at the completion of his Mitre 10 Cup commitments with Tasman.

However his agent Dan Kane said due to personal circumstances he was not in a position to start the contract at that time.

Kane did not elaborate on what the circumstances were and said there would be no further statement on the issue.

Banks wrote a letter to the Treviso supporters and sponsors, which appeared on the club's website, letting then know why he wouldn't arrive this season.

"I've been through an significant change in my personal situation recently, which has me needing to be based in New Zealand and close to my family at this time," he wrote.

Treviso sporting director Pavanello Antonio also released a statement and said for the good of Banks and the team they preferred Banks to remain in New Zealand given the difficult situation.

"Although we are all aware of his extraordinary qualities, it would be counterproductive to bring the player in Treviso considered his emotional state," Antonio said. "We wish Martin to overcome as soon as this bad period [sic] and we look forward to having him with us next summer "

While it will be later than expected Banks will still join Treviso later this year after the Super Rugby season finishes.

Parker's training incident caused a rupture to the ACL of his right knee that will require months to repair and rehab.

The 26-year-old missed most of the 2016 season with the same type of injury and had only just returned to fulltime training in the last few weeks.

Brown said they were disappointed for Parker.

"Obviously we are all pretty gutted for Hayden. He has worked so hard to get back to fitness and was really looking forward to the season. We wish him well with his rehab."

Parker debuted for the Highlanders in 2013 and has scored 86 points in 30 games.

Highlanders Preseason

v Crusaders at Darfield, Feb 4

Global 10s at Brisbane, Feb 11/12

v NSW Waratahs at Sydney, Feb 16

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