Leinster attack coach Tyler Bleyendaal has admitted that the calf injury Andrew Porter picked up in training last week "didn't look promising" amid a growing front row predicament for Ireland in the build up to the Guinness Six Nations.
The New Zealander also said fellow international Paddy McCarthy's foot injury "didn't look great". The prop sustained what the province describe as a "significant foot injury" during Saturday's dramatic 25-24 win over La Rochelle in the Investec Champions Cup.
Porter missed that match as a result of his own setback and both he and McCarthy will be assessed before further confirmation on the extent of their respective injuries.
"Yeah, obviously, Paddy's didn't look too great for him to come off immediately, so hopefully we get some clarity in the next few days," Bleyendaal told RTÉ Sport on Monday.
"We're hoping for the best but it really didn't look too great to be honest and Ports the same.
"To come out late in the week with that injury and again, waiting for the official kind of diagnosis, but it didn't look promising that it was going to be a quick turnaround.
"So we're going to have to dig in and it's next man up, and we're going to have to find a way.
"I thought the guys on the weekend did a great job and Jerry (Cahir) came on and he put his best foot forward and we're going to have to just dig deep into the depth and we've got some guys coming back as well.
"So we lose some, we get some and whoever is available is going to have to do their best."
McCarthy's injury comes at a time when the 22-year-old has built up real momentum for province and nation, having been rewarded with four caps during Ireland's Autumn Nations Series campaign.
It is unclear how long the former Blackrock College student will be sidelined for. But the timing is far from ideal with the potential of a maiden Six Nations campaign just around the corner.
"It's never a great time if it's a serious injury but like you say he's been playing so well," Bleyendaal said.
"He's been a really valuable player for us - both sides of the ball. From the attack side, he gets us great momentum, defensively he's really solid and I think his set-piece is always improving.
"He's been really good for us there. Like you say, he's got that taste of the Irish camp and no doubt he would have been involved again or hopefully still will be and that's why we'll go and get an update on him.
"And fingers crossed, because like you say, he's been improving with every game and I think he's definitely got that Irish ambition."
Jerry Cahir, who signed a short-term contract after impressing in the Energia All-Ireland League, replaced McCarthy following his withdrawal on Saturday, and the 25-year-old impressed Bleyendaal.
"He's packing down scrums against some of the world's best and now he's learning, he's getting his opportunity and he's trying to put it all out there," he said.
"It's great reward to see that he can come through that pathway and opportunities do arise. But it's a credit to those guys and their attitude."
Bleyendaal also reserved praise for the development of wing Joshua Kenny, who weighed in with two tries against La Rochelle to bring his total up to eight in just six games for Leinster.
"Just taking every opportunity that he's been given and he's obviously got some ball in some space and he's finished some tries for us which is great," he said.
"But he's put in so much work off the ball as well and he's making cover tackles or he's getting invovled or he's chasing kicks.
"He's come in at the start of the pre-season with a great attitude and have just been really impressed with him.
"He's willing to make errors but he does it at full speed. He learns and he's willing to make errors and learn again so he's going through that process.
"But he's great to watch with ball in hand and space, so it's our goal to get him more opportunities."
