The Wallabies have suffered another blow, with Brumbies lock Rory Arnold ruled out of Australia's first Test of the year against Ireland next month due to suspension.
Arnold copped a three-week ban for a dangerous tackle on Lions five-eighth Elton Jantjies during the Brumbies' 42-24 Super Rugby loss in Johannesburg on Sunday.
Arnold pleaded guilty to the offence and will also miss the Brumbies' clash with the Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday and the following weekend's hosting of the Sunwolves in Canberra.
His absence leaves Wallabies coach Michael Cheika short another big forward for the first of three Tests against the Six Nations champions in Brisbane on June 9.
NSW Waratahs utility forward Ned Hanigan - who played 12 Tests as blindside flanker in 2017 - is already sidelined for up to six weeks with a knee injury.
Meanwhile, the Crusaders have had a second All Blacks prop suspended in as many weeks, with Owen Franks outed for two Super Rugby matches for striking.
SANZAAR's foul play review committee accepted a guilty plea from Franks after he was cited for an incident that resulted in Blues hooker James Parsons leaving the game for a head assessment during the Crusaders' 32-24 win in Auckland on Saturday night.
Last week, fellow Test prop Joe Moody was handed a two-match ban for striking NSW Waratahs No.12 Kurtley Beale in the throat with his elbow, leaving the front-running Crusaders weakened for Friday night's top-of-the-table clash with the Hurricanes in Christchurch.
Highlanders winger Tevita Nabura is also having his case heard by the foul play committee on Sunday night after being sent off for kicking Waratahs counterpart Cam Clark in the head in Saturday's 41-12 loss in Sydney.
Nabura received a red card in the 19th minute after television match official George Ayoub described the studs-up karate-style kick as a "deliberate action by the player in the air to put his foot in front of him".
The Waratahs went on to run away with victory and bust a 40-match losing streak for Australian teams in trans-Tasman Super Rugby contests.
Clark said he held no grudges after the shocking incident, which he barely recalled.
"I don't have a martial arts background," Clark joked outside the jubilant Waratahs dressing room at Allianz Stadium.
"I felt contact there but I wasn't too bothered about it, to be honest.
"(It) happens very quickly and, I guess once the stoppage happens, you see it on the big screen, but nothing too much.
"You grow up as a back-three player, contesting high balls, and he's obviously been taught to protect himself, use the hard parts of your body.
"So, for me, it's unlucky he's just kicked his foot out at the wrong time and got his timing wrong."