Bryn Gatland's foot injury is so bad that his famous father rushed home from Wales to manage his recovery.
Welsh coach Warren Gatland, whose side won this year's Six Nations, is making the "emergency dash" to ensure his son is "treated by a top medic" according to Wales Online.
The 23-year-old Gatland will undergo major surgery to save his career after he was carried off during the Highlanders massive win over the Sunwolves in Tokyo.
Bryn Gatland's foot was trapped under bodies causing bones to snap and ligaments to tear. A surgeon reportedly believes he can reconstruct the foot so Gatland can resume his career, but his recovery period will be at least six months.
The injury is said to be worse than a similar one suffered by Wales back Jonathan Davies, who heard a few "pops and crunches" when tackled while playing Australia in late 2017.