The ACT Brumbies have been dealt another blow in a huge week of upheaval, with winger Henry Speight set to miss up to eight weeks after fracturing the front-bone in his face.
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As the Brumbies come to grips with chief executive Michael Jones being stood down on Monday night, Speight will leave the club's tour of South Africa to return to Australia to meet with surgeons.
Jones has been stood down from duties following rumours about his future and a scathing interview on Saturday accelerated the board's decision to take action.
It remains unclear whether Jones will challenge the decision or ever return to his post, but it is understood the Brumbies are reluctant to sack Jones because the club cannot afford to pay out his contract.
The decision on Jones' immediate future was another blow to the Brumbies just days after their first loss of the season to the Cape Town Stormers.
Speight has been cleared to fly home despite suffering the injury in the 31-11 defeat.
Speight will return to Australia to meet with surgeons while Lausii Taliauli will fly to South Africa as his replacement and hooker Robbie Abel has been called up to join the squad for the suspended Josh Mann-Rea.
Mann-Rea copped a one-week ban for punching Stormers prop Oli Kebble on Sunday morning and the Brumbies accepted the judicial officer's findings after he reduced the suspension from two weeks to one.
Speight will miss between four to eight weeks after a head clash with Brumbies co-captain Christian Lealiifano.
He has fractured the bone above his left eye, and the injury has thrown his Australian sevens Rio Olympic Games hopes into a spin as he races the clock to earn a spot in the team.
Speight was due to play for the Brumbies against the Free State Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Sunday (AEDT) before putting his Super Rugby season on hold to focus on sevens duties.
"We've known we weren't going to have Henry at times during the season, and to lose him to injury is not ideal but it's something that we've certainly planned for," Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham said from South Africa.
"We were aware of it from late last year so we've got a plan in place to get players ready and get them up to speed.
"It's a shame to lose Henry, he's obviously a world-class winger. The crack is above the left eyebrow, it's a nasty fracture but there's no danger in him flying so he'll meet with the surgeon and see where we need to go."
The changes on and off the field will give the Brumbies their biggest test of the year when they play the Cheetahs.
Larkham gathered players at their Cape Town hotel on Monday night (AEDT) to inform them of the board's decision to remove Jones from his role and to appoint Craig Leseberg as the interim replacement.
Nigel Ah Wong, Robbie Coleman and Taliauli will compete for the vacant wing position while Abel is poised to join the bench to earn his first Super Rugby cap.
"This will be the first test of depth for the squad, we had everyone available for selection for round one and now we're making some changes," Larkham said.
"But there's good confidence in the group at the moment so the guys who will get their opportunity this weekend are ready for it."
SUPER RUGBY ROUND FIVE
Sunday: Free State Cheetahs v ACT Brumbies at Bloemfontein, 12.05am. TV time: Live on Fox Sports 2
