Marty Banks' starting job appears to be safe next weekend, but beyond that is a different story.

As good as he's been in leading the Highlanders to a franchise record eight-consecutive wins, the return of six-cap All Black first-five eighth Lima Sopoaga on Saturday night could soon end his golden run.

Sopoaga, who hadn't played since injuring his hamstring against the Blues on March 11, played 25 minutes off the bench in the Highlanders' 55-6 demolition job of the Western Force in Perth.

JOE ALLISON/PHOTOSPORT Lima Sopoaga desperately needs game time to push for All Blacks selection.

Highlanders coach Tony Brown indicated Sopoaga would again come off the pine against the Waratahs in Dunedin on Saturday night, before possibly making a change the following week.

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"We just need to give Lima a bit of time to get back to full fitness," Brown said.

DIANNE MANSON/GETTY Marty Banks prepares to pass against the Sunwolves earlier this season.

"That probably looks like him coming off the bench next week as well, and then potentially starting him against the Crusaders."

Sopoaga's first touch - a cross-field kick to wing Tevita Li - almost resulted in a try during his team's biggest ever (49 points) win.

He had a couple of other nice touches, before finishing the game by missing a conversion the normally reliable Sopoaga would slot eight out of 10 times.

DIANNE MANSON/GETTY Highlanders fullback Ben Smith will be available to play the Waratahs in Dunedin next weekend after missing three weeks with an ankle injury.

Brown liked what he saw from his pivot, who just two years ago guided the Highlanders to their maiden Super Rugby title, and it's not hard to picture him handing Sopoaga the No 10 jersey against the unbeaten Crusaders in Christchurch in a fortnight.

"He was good," Brown said of Sopoaga. "He brings a lot of confidence to our team.

"You saw when he got out there he wanted to pull the trigger on all his skill-set. He threw some nice passes and a couple of great cross-kicks. When he's playing like that, we're a dangerous team.

"We always know that Marty can do the job when we need to call on him. He's done a fantastic job so far this year and he's played some outstanding footy."

Banks came off the bench to kick the Highlanders to a crunch win against the Brumbies in round five, and has started each of the past seven games since in the No 10 jersey.

Dropping a player who has barely put a foot wrong - he kicked his first 24 shots at goal to start the season - might not go down well with some, particularly those who have gone gaga over the former Buller player and suggested he makes the All Blacks as the third-string first-five.

Brown kept Banks on the field when he injected Sopoaga into the match against the Force, something he hinted at repeating against the Waratahs.

But the return of Sopoaga, who desperately needs game time to stake his claim for a spot in the All Blacks for the British and Irish Lions' tour of New Zealand, isn't the only reason Brown might be pulling out his hair or burning the midnight oil in the coming weeks.

He's got some tough decisions to make, with a bunch of other players set to return from injury and suspension.

Fullback and co-captain Ben Smith headlines the list after missing the past three games with an ankle injury, while loose forward Luke Whitelock (calf) will also "definitely" be available next weekend.

Wing Waisake Naholo is due back from a one-week suspension, while loose forwards James Lentjes and Dan Pryor are also nearing a return.

Pryor (knee) played half a game of club rugby at the weekend, while Lentjes, who dislocated his elbow against the Crusaders in a round two, will play club rugby next weekend and could be available against the Crusaders, Brown said.

Highlanders co-captain Ash Dixon and prop Daniel Lienert-Brown were scratched from the Force game with a stomach bug, but will be available next week.

"It's a positive for us. But I think next week we're going to have quite a few selection dilemmas. Everyone played awesome tonight," Brown said.