Dynamic Hurricanes forward Vaea Fifita has ankle ligament damage but escaped a broken leg after his painful tumble to the Brisbane turf.
Fifita was one of three Super Rugby players stretchered off the field at the Brisbane Tens, along with Chiefs Brad Weber and Mitchell Graham whose involvement for at least the early part of the Super tournament looks to be in severe doubt.
While Fifita's return to rugby is unclear, he at least escaped a broken leg after he fell awkwardly after being lifted at a lineout.
The Hurricanes confirmed on Twitter that Fifita's leg was not broken. "Vaea has ankle ligament damage that will be assessed further in coming days".
But it didn't leave victorious Chiefs coach Dave Rennie too unhappy, saying after the final that it was just a part of rugby.
"It could happen next week playing the Blues in a trial game. It's the nature of our game, injuries happen
"We're certainly not bitter, the tournament has been really positive and we've used it well."
Fifita fell during a lineout in his side's semifinal defeat to the Crusaders, landing on an ankle. He looked in agony and had to be given pain medication.
As Fifita lay awaiting treatment on the turf, the Crusaders surged up the right flank and nearly careered into him in the lead-up to Quentin Strange's opening try.
Fifita, who was taken on the All Blacks' northern hemisphere tour but didn't play, was taken by stretcher from the field.
Then in the final, Chiefs halfback Weber, who has played one test for the All Blacks, went down in a tackle, appearing to badly injured a knee or lower leg.
Aaron Cruden, who was acting as water boy for the Chief, consoled Weber before he was taken from the field.
Meanwhile, tight forward Graham suffered a nasty looking injury when his leg folded under a Crusaders defender. He too needed pain medication but gave the thumbs up to the crowd as he left.
The Chiefs won the final, 12-5.
Photo: Photosport (Brad Weber is in agony with a leg injury in the Brisbane Tens final).