Joe Moody Photo: Photosport Ltd
All Blacks prop Joe Moody won't play for the Crusaders again this season.
Moody's had ankle surgery after being injured in the side's win over the Blues a fortnight ago.
He'll be out for eight weeks which means he will still be available for the All Blacks World Cup campaign in France in September.
Moody's the fourth prop the Crusaders have lost during their title defence.
The Super Rugby Pacific side has already lost Fletcher Newell, George Bower and Finlay Brewis to injuries.
The Crusaders hope to add another prop to their roster in the near future.
34 year old Moody missed much of last season with an ACL injury.
He played at both the 2015 and 2019 World Cups.
Beauden Barrett. Photo: Marty Melville
Meanwhile, Blues coach Leon Macdonald has confirmed first-five Beauden Barrett will miss Saturday's game against the Hurricanes.
Barrett has a heel injury picked up in the last round against the Reds in Brisbane.
"He's on his All Blacks rest this week which coincides with his stitches in his foot, it's hard to know for sure but we're pretty confident he's going to be okay [for next week]."
Macdonald says Barrett needed to take his mandatory All Blacks rest this round or next but his injury forced their hand.
The fourth placed Blues meet the fifth placed Hurricanes at Eden Park in a battle for fourth spot or higher on the Super Rugby Pacific table with a home playoff game on the line.