The Crusaders, still reeling from Will Jordan’s knee injury, have suffered two more blows this week.
Injuries have side-lined lock Scott Barrett (finger) and prop Fletcher Newell (Achilles).
It means Rob Penney’s men will travel to Sydney to play the Waratahs on Friday without two of their best tight forwards — with both expected to be out for between one and two weeks.
Barrett, the All Blacks captain, has spoken about his form struggles this year but has clearly been working hard, while Newell's scrummaging has been hugely important for the Crusaders and he showed a surprising turn of pace to almost haul down Leroy Carter on Saturday after the Chiefs' sevens star broke away.
The injury misfortune with three regular season games remaining may represent a feeling of déjà vu for head coach Penney.
The Crusaders suffered some terrible luck last season, his first in charge, including the absence for the season of main strike weapon Jordan, and they finished outside the playoffs with only four victories in total.
This year the casualty list has been far shorter which has helped the team’s quality and consistency – to the point where they are in third place with a real hope of hosting a quarter-final.
Penney said this week he hopes to get Jordan back from his medial cruciate ligament injury for the quarter-final (on the assumption the Crusaders make it).
Jordan suffered the injury during his team’s 35-19 defeat to the Chiefs in Christchurch at the weekend, a departure which coincided with a collapse from his team after they looked very much in control when leading 19-10 at halftime.
Penney, speaking to the media yesterday before the injuries to Barrett and Newell were revealed, was asked about Jordan's importance to the team.
“It highlights again his absence last year – it was massive," Penney said.
“Any team he plays with he offers such great voice and confidence to those around him. His leadership and rugby IQ is right up there. Any team would miss having him out there and we certainly did.”
Better news for the Crusaders, who face Moana Pasifika at home and Brumbies in Canberra to round out their regular season, includes the returns from injury of hooker George Bell and lock Quinten Strange.
The Waratahs, outside the playoff zone in eighth with five wins in 11 matches, represent a bogey team for Penney, their former coach.
He was let go by the franchise after two difficult seasons but any hope of revenge on his return to Sydney last year was dashed by a dropped goal in extra-time as the Waratahs won a thriller 43-40.
“It’s not about me,” he said when asked about the revenge factor. “I just want the boys to do well and have success.”
The high-flying Chiefs have a bye this week but three other New Zealand-based franchises the Blues, Hurricanes and Moana Pasifika all have a chance to climb the points table.
The Hurricanes, without wing Kini Naholo for the rest of the season due to a knee injury, host the Highlanders on Friday and Moana Pasifika host the Blues in a cross-town derby on Saturday night.
Wing Caleb Clarke returns to start for the Blues after a four-week absence due to a thigh injury.
The fifth-placed Blues host the Waratahs in their final regular season match, with the Hurricanes, sixth, still to play the Reds and Moana Pasifika.
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