Otago's backline ranks have been decimated and reinforcements called in for a virtual knockout match against Waikato this Friday.
Fullback Glen Horton and midfield back Aaron Bancroft are both gone for the season, while centre Brett Mather is also a doubtful starter for this week.
A possible replacement for Horton, Alhambra Union fullback Casey Stone, is also out for the season, after breaking and dislocating his wrist while playing against Tasman B at Carisbrook on Saturday.
Otago coach Steve Martin has called backs Andrew Parata, Glenn Dickson and Dan Snee into the squad for this week's game.
The trio played for Otago B in its loss to Tasman B on Saturday.
Horton has dislocated his right shoulder, which previously had not been injured, and although it was put back into place straight after the game, it was still loose and his shoulder placed in a sling.
Bancroft, who had been working his way into some encouraging form, has broken his ring finger on his left hand, and is due to have an operation on it today.
It will be a couple of months before he gets back on the field.
Bancroft left the field midway through the first half of the match against Taranaki on Friday night, while Horton left the field midway through the second half, halfback Sean Romans forced to play at the back.
Mather has a niggling ankle problem, and he was rated a 50-50 chance for Friday night's game in Hamilton.
The reinforcements have not played a match for Otago, but Martin said they were the next line of players for Otago and were good footballers.
Dickson is a first five-eighth who can play at second five-eighth, while Snee is more of a second five-eighth.
Parata has mainly played at centre.
Otago may have lost to Taranaki, but due to most teams around it losing and it picking up two bonus points, the blue and golds actually went up the points table.
It now finds itself in seventh position, having been ninth, jumping ahead of both Auckland and Tasman, who lost at the weekend.
Waikato lost to Hawkes Bay in Napier on Saturday, and spilt plenty of ball, failing to hang on to it for long enough to be effective.
Waikato sits in 10th place, and, like Otago, will probably need to win its last two games to make the quarterfinals.
Martin said the competition was very topsy-turvy, with sides knocking over each other from week to week.
The game on Friday night was a virtual knockout game.
Waikato was in a similar situation to Otago, in that it was going through a transition phase, with a lot of young players coming into the team, Martin said.
Waikato plays Taranaki in Hamilton in its last game of the round, while Otago hosts table-topping Wellington.
