All Blacks test prospect Caleb Tangitau appears set for a long stint on the sideline after suffering a serious injury during a Super Rugby match for his Highlanders.
Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph said the initial diagnosis was that speedy wing Tangitau had ruptured his Achilles tendon late in the 42-12 loss to the Chiefs in Hamilton on Friday night.
It is a major blow for the 23-year-old, who was widely considered a chance to make his test debut for New Zealand this year.
Tangitau's speed and power had taken him to seven tries in 11 matches this season.
Attacking statistics had him listed in the competition's top three for both clean breaks and defenders beaten.
Joseph told reporters he felt for the former New Zealand sevens representative.
"It looks as though he's ruptured his Achilles. That's really disappointing for a him – a young winger coming in and playing really good rugby, coming in and scoring awesome tries," Joseph said.
"He's aspiring to become an All Black and play at the highest level.
"I guess he's young, that's on his side, and the surgeons these days are pretty good. He'll be back."
Newly appointed All Blacks coach Dave Rennie was watching in the stand at Waikato Stadium.
Rennie would have also been concerned by the sight of Chiefs fly-half Damian McKenzie lying motionless for several seconds after being accidentally kicked while making a tackle.
Regarded as a strong prospect to be New Zealand's starting playmaker, 74-test veteran McKenzie will automatically undergo a mandated 12-day stand-down period.
Chiefs coach Jono Gibbes was relieved to see McKenzie appearing in good spirits immediately after the game.
"He got a pretty decent stun there," Gibbes said.
"We took all the right precautions with him. It looked pretty bad, but they got to him pretty quick, and he’s up on his feet and talking and walking around."
The six-try performance handed the Chiefs their seventh straight win, and ninth of the campaign, with two rounds remaining.
They sit level with the Hurricanes as competition co-leaders although the Chiefs have played one extra game.
An eighth loss leaves the Highlanders one place outside the top six who make the play-offs but probably needing other results to go their way if they're to qualify.