The ACT Brumbies face a back-row crisis a month out from their first Super Rugby match with star flanker Rocky Elsom ruled out for at least the first four games of the season.
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Elsom has failed to overcome a persistent hamstring injury and has not completed a full training session since the end of the Wallabies' spring tour in November.
With skipper Stephen Hoiles also battling to recover from Achilles tendon and back injuries, the Brumbies could be forced to field a very inexperienced back row to start the 2011 season.
Brumbies coach Andy Friend remains hopeful that Hoiles will be ready to play the opening round against the Waikato Chiefs on February 19.
But after early optimism on Elsom's availability, Friend revealed yesterday the Wallabies skipper would be sidelined for the start of his team's campaign.
If Elsom only misses the first four games, he will return to the field for the Brumbies' clash with the NSW Waratahs on March 26.
"We won't see him before round five," Friend said of Elsom.
"We had a meeting yesterday with the medical staff and the tendon is not good at the moment.
"It needs rest. Given the year he's got ahead of him, we'd be silly to push him this early.
"He's keen to come back and play, we're keen to get him to come back and play, but we have to realise he's got a pretty serious injury and he has to look after it.
"There's a plan to take the load off his feet for the next few weeks and we'll build from there."
Hoiles, Elsom and Matt Giteau make up a new-look leadership group for the Brumbies this year.
If Hoiles and Elsom do not play in round one, Giteau will likely be given the captaincy duties.
Hoiles has started running with the team, but he is also yet to return to full training.
Both Hoiles and Elsom joined their Brumbies teammates at HMAS Creswell in Jervis Bay yesterday for a pre-season training camp.
Elsom's absence is a huge blow to the Brumbies' hopes of getting their season off to a brilliant start.
The destructive forward is in the second year of a two-season deal with the Brumbies and would have played a crucial part in steering the team through the early rounds.
But with the 27-year-old also preparing to lead the Wallabies' World Cup campaign later this year, he has been ordered to stay away from strenuous training.
Elsom said there was no time frame on his recovery.
"Last year I missed just the one game [at the start of the Brumbies' season]," Elsom said.
"I think as far as impact on missing games last year, it wasn't too much of a problem.
"When you've got guys coming back from tours, [short pre-seasons] are the case with all teams."
If Hoiles also succumbs, Friend will be left with a sizeable conundrum at the back of his scrum.
Julian Salvi and youngsters Colby Faingaa and Michael Hooper were expected to fight it out for openside flanker with Hoiles and Elsom filling the No6 and No8 jerseys.
That has all changed now.
With Elsom ruled out until late March, Friend will use the camp to trial Mitchell Chapman, Faingaa and Salvi at blindside flanker.
"We've got Jules, Colby played in that role a little bit last year and we've got Chapo, so we've got some options," Friend said.
