Crusaders lose Todd to injury

Matt Todd has been added to the Crusaders long list of injured All Blacks ahead of Saturday's clash with the Stormers.

The 13-Test All Black suffered a small fracture in his thumb in last week's 45-23 win over the Chiefs and is likely to sit out the next few Super Rugby games.

Head coach Scott Robertson said Todd would likely spend fewer than six weeks on the sidelines, where he'll join Test regulars including Kieran Read, Israel Dagg and first-choice props Joe Moody and Owen Franks.

"It's not as bad as a six-weeker, we're hoping - we'll know more next Monday. It's a great chance for Billy to come in and start, he was exceptional off the bench last week," Robertson told reporters on Wednesday.

"Matt, he just came off (last week) and said his thumb was sore - the doctor X-rayed it and he had a broken thumb.

"It's a bit of a shame because he was in great form."

In the only other change to the starting XV which beat the Chiefs, Scott Barrett has earned a second-row berth ahead of Luke Romano.