Wallabies scrumhalf Jake Gordon has suffered a likely "gut-wrenching" Achilles tendon injury as the Western Force produced an inspired fightback to down the NSW Waratahs 31-25 in Perth.
In slippery conditions that featured pouring rain at times at HBF Park, the Force trailed 20-7 after 30 minutes of Saturday night's match but scored the next three tries to snatch a 24-20 lead by the 61st minute.
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In an epic finish, Apolosi Ranawai got the ball through a pack of players to put the Waratahs back in front in the 67th minute, before Carlo Tizzano scored what proved to be the match-winning try in the 71st.
But the big news of the night was on the injury front, and it was all bad news for both the Waratahs and Wallabies.
First, Pete Samu's knee twisted awkwardly in the ninth minute when he slipped on the wet turf while bracing for a tackle.
The powerful No.8 tried to play on through the pain, before eventually trudging to the bench, with the injury later revealed as a medial ligament issue.
But the biggest disaster arrived in the 39th minute when Gordon took a quick tap and went down after taking a couple of steps.
Gordon looked gutted and in extreme pain as he was assessed by a medico, before being carried off the field by two trainers.
"This is gut-wrenching ... poor Jake," former Wallabies scrumhalf Nic White said in commentary.
The Wallabies' Nations Championship kicks off on July 4, and the expected loss of Gordon is a big blow to Australia's No.9 stocks.
"I'm shattered for Jake," Waratahs coach Dan McKellar said.
"No one cares about New South Wales and the Waratahs more than Jake, and just for him to do it in the last game of the season before the Test season's about to begin - disappointing."
The Force's brave comeback means they finished the season in seventh spot with a 7-7 record, marking their best campaign since their 9-7 year in 2014.
The eighth-placed Waratahs (5-9) are set for some soul-searching after their star-studded squad fell well short of expectations.
"A really good note to end on," Force captain Jeremy Williams told Stan Sport after the match.
"It's awesome we could get the win and finish the season on a high. Although we haven't made it to finals, which was our goal, we've really developed over the last couple of years and I'm really proud of the effort."
