The Hurricanes have lost four first-team players from their squad ahead of their tour of South Africa, starting in Bloemfontein next week.

Jason Eaton, Conrad Smith, Jason Kawau and Tamati Ellison have all been ruled out of one match at least, with Eaton's season possibly over after he suffered an ACL rupture.

Eaton will definitely require surgery to fix the injury, simila to the one that ended his season in 2007.

Ellison is nursing an injured shoulder while Smith has a complicated thimb sprain and Kawau is recuperating from sinus surgery.

Those three could feature in the tour later on, so the Hurricanes have travelled with only 25 players, including wider training group players Alapati Leiua and Brett Maher, while a 26th will be called to Cape Town in time for the March 14 fixture.

There was better news on the injury front for the Hurricanes, with lock Jeremy Thrush and prop Anthony Perenise among those leaving for SA after overcoming injuries.



http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,2...991548,00.html