The Crusaders are fearful over the fitness of All Blacks midfielder David Havili, after a hamstring injury suffered in Saturday's win over NSW Waratahs.
Late in the second half of the reigning champions' 42-18 victory, 28-year-old Havili left the field immediately after staying down in a tackle.
While initial fears pointed towards a knee injury that would all but end chances of playing in this year's Rugby World Cup, Havili's prognosis has slightly improved by it potentially being a hamstring issue.
Further scans will determine how severe Havili's injury actually is, but Crusaders assistant coach James Marshall is fearful that it could spell the end of the midfielder's Super Rugby season.
"It's [a] hamstring, we don't know the extent of it," said Marshall. "But when you're limping off like that, it didn't look too positive.
"He's getting a scan today. I'm hoping for a miracle - but it doesn't look too likely.
"Even a minor one is quite niggly. He thought it was cramp - or was hoping it was cramp - which was causing the pain.
"We'll have to wait and see, but [we're] hoping for a miracle."
What's more, Havili wasn't the only All Black to go down injured on Saturday.
After injury saw him scratched from the start of the 2023 campaign, No.8 Cullen Grace could also miss the playoffs, as he limped out of the win as well.
Again, Marshall updated that it wasn't a knee injury, but a dislocated kneecap.
Further scans later on Tuesday will determine the damage and recovery time of 23-year-old Grace.
"I've got no idea what that means, I've never heard of a dislocated kneecap," added Marshall. "I think he had it when he was younger, and it didn't keep him out for too long.
"But [he's got] scans today. We'll wait for the results of that before we rule him out."
Two more season ending injuries would be another blow for the Crusaders' hopes of a seventh title in seven years.
The reigning champions have already lost Sevu Reece and George Bower to anterior cruciate ligament injuries.
In fact, the Crusaders' front row stocks in particular have taken such a hammering that 39-year-old former All Black John Afoa has been drafted in as injury cover, and made his debut in the win over the Waratahs.
Marshall, though, is fearing the Crusaders will be without another two All Blacks, with the playoffs now two weeks away.
"If I was a betting man, I'd bet on neither of them being there," he said.
"It's brutal. I thought we went through a wee patch there where we weren't having too many season-enders.
"Hopefully nothing too major, but it looks like potentially two."
Guaranteed a home quarter-final, the Crusaders can cement second place on the ladder this weekend when they host the Hurricanes in Wellington.
