Injury is compounding the Crusaders' woes after five All Blacks were ruled out of Friday's Super Rugby match against the Hurricanes.
A Crusaders spokesperson confirmed they will be without fullback Israel Dagg (calf), five-eighth Colin Slade (quadricep), No.8 Kieran Read (concussion), lock Sam Whitelock (concussion) and prop Joe Moody (foot) when they face the competition leaders in Nelson.
The seven-time champions have only a slim mathematical chance of reaching the play-offs for a 14th-straight season following their 32-22 loss to the Waratahs.
That game has also added to a growing injury list.
Captain Read and Whitelock both won't be risked after taking knocks to the head in Sydney and showing subsequent concussion symptoms.
Two of New Zealand's premier forwards, they have both started every game since sitting out the first three rounds of the competition under a negotiated rest break.
Slade's absence will probably result in playmaking great Dan Carter making just his third start in his specialist five-eighth role, having played mostly in the No.12 jersey this season.
Dagg's dreadful run with injury continued when he was ruled out of the Waratahs game during the warm-ups with a recurrence of his calf injury.
He has played just five games this season.
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