Umaga's injury may hurt the Hurricanes for rest of season

Tana Umaga is in doubt for the rest of the Super 14 rugby season with a knee injury.

Standing in as captain in the absence of the suspended Rodney So'oialo, the former All Blacks captain left the field at Bloemfontein early today with a medial ligament injury, Hurricanes coach Colin Cooper confirmed.

It was one of the reasons pointed to the Hurricanes' 25-27 loss to the Cheetahs in the Super 14 after they had led 25-10 in 53rd minute and looked well on the way to yet another victory.

However, a number of blows struck the hapless Hurricanes today, ending their unbeaten run in the competition.

Already denied two of their most experienced players, So'oialo and lock Paul Tito, both suspended for a match, they lost Umaga to injury in the 17th minute and then All Blacks halfback Piri Weepu and centre Ma'a Nonu in the 69th minute.

Weepu had breathing problems, Cooper said, and was replaced while Nonu, the most penetrative back in the side, was sinbinned for a late tackle.

Nonu came back into the game for only a minute.

But it was in his absence that the Cheetahs scored the winning points, a converted try by loose forward Ryno van der Merwe.

That try in the 70th minute levelled the scores 25-25 before first five-eighth Meyer Bosman kicked the conversion.

"We just weren't good enough," an extremely disappointed Collins said.

"You can't expect to win when you allow the opposition in like that.

"We had done enough to win, we threw it away."

Australian referee George Ayoub was told by a touch judge that Hurricanes No 12 had late tackled and Ayoub called in Nonu, who was wearing No 13, and flashed the yellow card.

Umaga had worn the No 12 jersey and was sitting on the sidelines.

Cooper said both Umaga and Weepu would be assessed in the next day or two.

"We have to wait until it settles down before an assessment is made," Cooper said of Umaga's injury.

Weepu developed breathing problems in the light airs of the high veldt.

- NZPA