The Jaguares were dealt a double blow after Matías Moroni and Martín Landajo suffered an elbow injury and a broken leg respectively in their pre-season warm-up against Uruguay on Monday.

The Jaguares eventually beat Uruguay 61-7, but the victory came at a cost as Landajo (scrumhalf) sustained a broken fibula just five minutes into the match. The break was of such a nature that the vice-captain was forced undergo corrective surgery on Wednesday, which ruled him out of action for least three months.

Moroni (centre) played well and scored two tries before injury struck. The 25-year-old hurt his right elbow, but while his knock is not as bad as Landajo's leg-break, it remains unclear whether Moroni will be fit in time for the Jaguares' Super Rugby opener against the Kings on 25 February.

Meanwhile, Highlanders flyhalf Hayden Parks raptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and has been ruled out for the entire Super Rugby campaign.

Parker suffered a similar injury last year which saw him miss a big chunk of the 2016 season as well.

Marty Banks, who was supposed to join Treviso after his stint in Japan, has joined the Highlanders as Parker's replacement instead.

Photo: Gabriel Rossi/Getty Images