Prop Nepo Laulala will be out of rugby for the entire year after tearing three ligaments in his right knee.

Chiefs coach Dave Rennie remains upbeat about his side's Super Rugby chances, despite the massive double injury blow they have suffered.

The franchise revealed on Tuesday that two of their new recruits - prop Nepo Laulala and lock Dominic Bird - were set for lengthy spells on the sideline after each suffering freak injuries in the past few days.

Laulala has been ruled out for the entire year after tearing three ligaments in his right knee - the ACL, PCL and MCL - at training last Friday, while Bird will be sidelined for 10 weeks after fracturing his right foot during a session on Monday.

They are horror blows for a team who has been dogged by injuries in recent seasons.

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Both 24-year-old players were set to play significant roles, having moved from the Crusaders for more opportunities. Laulala's injury has cruelly robbed him of the chance to push his claims as one of the country's best tightheads and build on his four All Blacks caps earnt last year.

"It's obviously very disappointing to have injured my knee and be unable to play for the Chiefs for a while, but I'll be back real soon," Laulala said. "Once I'm through surgery I'll be working hard to get back to full fitness as quickly as possible so I can get back out on the rugby field. Though I'm unable to play for a little while, I'll be supporting the boys and doing as much as I can for the team."

Laulala will undergo reconstructive surgery soon, and get set on the long 12-month recovery, which will be as much of a mental challenge as a physical one.

"He's got a great example here in Tawera Kerr-Barlow, who had a pretty similar injury," Rennie said. "What he did to recover was phenomenal. So hopefully Nepo can come back a little bit earlier.

"He's made a real statement while he's been here, got himself in great nick. So it's pretty frustrating. It was a non-contact session and someone's fallen on him, and it's the worst possible outcome."

Bird was just as unlucky, with Kerr-Barlow landing on his foot in a tackle.

After two appearances for the All Blacks, in 2013 and 2014, 2.06m Bird was eager to work his way back into black jersey reckoning, but will now be absent for about the first half a dozen rounds.

"It's not the start to the season I was hoping for, it's as frustrating as ever, like any injury," he said. "I'm looking at 10 weeks of recovery so I'll be doing what I can to get the rest of my body right in the meantime. I'll still be chipping in with a lot of line-out stuff with the boys and helping the team however I can."

Rennie presented a brace face when asked how the injuries would upset his new-look team's title chances. But he's been down this route plenty of times.

"We're disappointed," he said. "But you can't win a championship on a couple of players, and injuries are going to happen and other guys have got to step up. So when we contract we look for depth."

The Chiefs should cope alright in the locking department, with one of the world's best in Brodie Retallick, second-year Chief Michael Allardice and exciting youngsters in Waikato's James Tucker and Auckland's Teleni Seu.

In terms of the props, more responsibility will fall on Atu Moli, Siate Tokolahi and Siegfried Fisiihoi to back up looseheads Mitchell Graham and Pauliasi Manu.

Rennie said while a couple of players would have to go down in one position before a replacement was allowed, they were looking around at their options in case.

"Obviously we're scanning the country, but realistically every team's got three tighthead props, so that's 15 gone. So we may have to look at an overseas option.

"There's not an enormous amount around at the moment either. You've got a European club competition happening, and the same in France. So really Japan is one competition that has just finished. So we're just keeping an open mind to it."

The rest of the Chiefs squad is largely injury-free, as they head towards their two pre-season matches next month (February 12 vs the Waratahs in Rotorua and February 19 vs the Blues in Pukekohe).

However, utility back Andrew Horrell will miss about the first six weeks of the competition after getting injured during the NPC, and winger Toni Pulu is also doubtful for the start after off-season surgery.