All Blacks selectors and fans continue to wait with baited breath over the fitness of Sam Whitelock, battling an achilles injury as Super Rugby enters its semi-final stage.
Whitelock, 34, was withdrawn at halftime in the Crusaders' Super Rugby Pacific regular season-ending loss to the Hurricanes two weeks ago, as coach Scott Robertson cited a "niggly achilles".
While the actual severity of the injury is yet to be made public, Whitelock missed his side's 49-8 quarter-final win over Fijian Drua, and is almost certain to play no part in the coming semi-final grudge match against the Blues.
Depending on how serious the injury actually is, an Achilles issue can take anywhere from two weeks to six months to heal.
But while fans of rival teams might celebrate Whitelock's absence, 2023 being a Rugby World Cup year leads to a worrying bigger picture.
Just over a week out from the first All Blacks squad of the year being named, Whitelock's injury woes will be a headache for coach Ian Foster.
And appearing on Sky Sport's the Breakdown, ex-All Blacks captain Kieran Read couldn't hide his concern over his former teammate.
"It is a little bit concerning," said Read. "Someone like Sam Whitelock, he's not normally on the sideline, he's out there playing 80 minutes when he can.
"The nature of the injury too, the area where it is - the Achilles - it can be very niggly.
"At the moment, it [takes] time to get back on the field. But it is a little bit worrying for later in the year."
Whitelock's absence would be another injury blow for the Crusaders, currently gunning for a seventh Super Rugby title in seven years.
Already this year, the reigning champions have lost All Blacks David Havili, Sevu Reece, Joe Moody, Cullen Grace, Fletcher Newell and George Bower to season-ending injuries.
On Saturday, Richie Mo'unga and Ethan Blackadder also suffered injury scares, with the results still to be determined over their involvement in the rest of the year.
For Read, though, the Crusaders' strength in depth - which has been tested to the full already this season - will see the side compete regardless of who's on the field - starting with the Blues on Friday night.
"They'll definitely have a chance," he added. "It's all coming down to Hamilton, I believe.
"It's obviously going to be a big game, that final. There's two big ones coming up this week.
"The Crusaders are good enough, [even] with all the injuries anyway.
"They'll turn up."
