Crusaders ravaged by injuries; Rugby 365

The Crusaders' fast-fading hope of reaching the Super Rugby play-offs were dealt another cruel blow.

It was revealed that five of the team's All Blacks have been ruled out of the encounter with the tournament's runaway leaders, the Hurricanes, in Nelson on Friday.

Top of that list is lock Sam Whitelock, who has the recipient of a brutal double spear tackle by two Waratahs players - lock Will Skelton and hooker Silatolu Latu.
 
The duo were handed two- and four-week bans on Monday, following their combined actions.

Whitelock has been ruled out of the trip to Nelson due to concussion.

Captain Kieran Read has already been ruled out of the match with the same affliction.

The Crusaders will also be without fullback Israel Dagg (calf), flyhalf Colin Slade (quadricep) and prop Joe Moody (foot).

The seven-time champions have only a slim mathematical chance of reaching the play-offs for a 14th-straight season, following their 22-32 loss to the Waratahs.

Slade's absence will probably result in play-making great Dan Carter making just his third start in his specialist No.10 role, having played mostly in the No.12 jersey this season.

Dagg's dreadful run with injury continued when he was ruled out of the Waratahs game during the warm-ups with a recurrence of his calf injury.

Sources: NZ Newswire & Radio Sport