Kieran Read and Ryan Crotty might have to wait another week before they get their chance to line up for the Crusaders in the Super Rugby playoffs.
The duo are in doubt for the Crusaders' quarter-final clash against the Sharks in Christchurch this weekend after leaving the pitch with injuriesover the weekend.
Read appeared to suffer a wrist injury in his side's thumping of the Blues on Saturday night, and left the pitch just after half-time. Crotty followed his captain up the tunnel about 10 minutes later with a thumb injury.
The Crusaders said Read and Crotty had been cleared of any significant injury and would be monitored early in the week as they reintegrate to training in a statement on Sunday. Should there be any doubt over their conditions later in the week, the two could be rested as a precautionary measure.
Finishing the regular season at the top of the table with a 14-2 record, the Crusaders shouldn't have too much trouble against the eighth-seed Sharks in the opening round of the sudden death stages.
Their win over the Blues on Saturday night was a clear statement to the rest of the remaining teams who are looking to dethrone the Crusaders as Super rugby champions.
Joe Moody (knee and ankle) wasn't considered for the match, while Owen Franks, Scott Barrett, David Havili and Codie Taylor were all rested against the Blues. That didn't hamper the defending champions as they ran away with a 54-17 win, outscoring the Blues eight tries to two.
Franks, Barrett, Taylor and Havili are all expected to return to the squad for their quarter-final in Christchurch this weekend, while Moody remained in doubt.
They'll meet a Sharks side with nothing to lose, who have given Kiwi teams some trouble this season. Boasting wins over the Blues, Highlanders and Chiefs, as well as a heart-breaking loss to the Hurricanes in which the winning try was scored five minutes after the horn, they'll know they need a big performance to topple to Crusaders, with or without Crotty, Read and Moody.
