Kammala jumla mai zuwa: Bayan nasarar da ya samu tare da Northland, an tattara Vainikolo a cikin 'yan wasan Highlanders don kakar Super 14 ta 2008. Duk da yake ƙungiyar ta jimre wa wani kamfen mai wahala, Vainikolo ya yi fice a matsayin makamin kai hari, ya gama na uku a cikin dukkan gasar tare da gwaji shida, gami da da yawa daga cikin nau'ikan reel-reel. A cikin kakar wasan Super 14 na 2009, Vainikolo ya yi gwagwarmaya don maimaita nasararsa ta shekara ta farko, inda ya zira kwallaye biyu kawai kuma ya shiga cikin zargi da yawa saboda wasan tsaron sa, ya fara farawa tare da Kendrick Lynn wanda ya fi aminci. A cikin
2010, ya fara kakar wasa ta raba lokacin wasa tare da James Paterson, amma ya fara wasanni bakwai na karshe na shekara kuma ya gama da ƙoƙari biyar don jagorantar kulob din tare da Isra'ila Dagg. Damuwa game da wasansa na gaba daya da kuma mummunan tsari yayin gasar ITM ta 2010 ya ga Vainikolo ya bar babban tawagar Highlanders na kakar 2011 Super 15, kodayake an saka shi cikin rukunin horo na kungiyar.