News of Israel Dagg's three-month lay-off due to a quad injury on top of defeats to the All Blacks-stacked Blues and Crusaders rounded off an uncomfortable weekend for New Zealanders, who now must be worrying if the fates are again lining up against them this year.
Dagg is a class act with a proven ability to rise to the big occasion and would be considered a loss, not least for his versatility and booming right boot. He won't be back until July, and will have only have a few ITM Cup games to press his claims. At this rate he won't be alone, with the likes Isaia Toeava and Colin Slade also likely to require appearances in the domestic competition - and a show of faith from selectors - to play a part in the Cup.
Dig a little deeper though and there is something to cheer your nervous Kiwi friends (should you wish), not least the cameo appearance of Piri Weepu for the Hurricanes against the Highlanders and the continued excellence of Jimmy Cowan in the same game.
Weepu will never have the Sonny Bill Williams physique, but the lure of the Cup has clearly played a motivating factor in his long rehab. His weight has been kept in check and his power around the ruck and rugby smarts were missed by the All Blacks on last year's end-of-season tour.
In fact, that loss against the Wallabies in Hong Kong came without a sizeable contingent that are likely to play a major part later this year. Missing, either through injury or selection foibles, from the Hong Kong 22 and now available are: Weepu, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Hosea Gear, Richard Kahui, Luke McAlister, Robbie Fruean, Zac Guildford and Sonny Bill Williams in the backs; Adam Thomson, Ali Williams and Andrew Hore in the forwards. That is a serious injection of nous, power, and experience.
Factor in that Dan Carter was removed after 60 minutes of that game for Stephen Donald - fatally so from an All Blacks point of view - to manage an ankle injury and you can build a picture that the All Blacks will be a better team this year than last. Nonetheless, with the likes of Cory Jane and Tony Woodcock still missing in action, Graham Henry and his team will be doing their best to avoid walking under any further ladders.
The list of the sidelined is better news for the Highlanders' Ben Smith, whose range of skills, consistency and error-free game must be nudging him ever closer to the top 30.
He might not have the explosiveness of other options, but that hasn't held back his namesake Conrad, and his ability to cover wing, fullback and, at a stretch, inside-centre, could offer a coach some comfort as he ponders the almost endless squad permutations.
Injuries aside, there is another elephant in the room when it comes to assessing the All Blacks' chances. Discipline.
Anyone who has watched Richie McCaw's past two games, against the Force and Cheetahs, would have been reminded of how ridiculous the conspiracists sound when the claim that he is a law unto himself under the IRB-mandated protection of Paddy O'Brien - he spent a spell in the sin bin and and a host of breakdown penalties went against him.
Nonetheless the determination of New Zealand teams, led by their captain, to operate on the edge of the law at this crucial aspect of the game opens up the real possibility they could be whistled out of a vital game. You only need to be on the wrong side of one ref for one game in a World Cup. Wallabies coach Robbie Deans alluded to it last year when he said "I personally believe that some of their cynicism won't serve them well in the long run" and his point remains as valid now as it did then.
The injuries: Dagg is in a race against time to make the Cup squad, but Brad Thorn is set to return this week.
The wildcard: Victor Vito. Is he the most suitable back-up option to Kieran Read at No.8? Better lineout option than Liam Messam and starting to find form.
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