Toronto coach Paul Rowley admits his side is suffering a tough start to pre-season after winger Ryan Burroughs was ruled out for up to six months.
Burroughs badly tore his hamstring in the USA’s World Cup defeat to Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby.
He has been told that his recovery time will be anything between four and six months.
It is the latest in a number of injury blows to Rowley’s squad, with Liam Kay having returned from duty with Ireland with a torn groin that is still a couple of weeks away from healing.
Rowley said: “It’s been a bit of a false start for us so far, due to a combination of injuries on the training ground and in the World Cup, players coming back later because of that and visa issues.
“They’ve been non-contact injuries in training as well, which has been frustrating.
“The good thing is that some of the players that are joining us later, like Dave Taylor, Josh McCrone and Ashton Sims, are all accustomed to proper full-time rugby.
“It will do our guys good in the long-term to be back in and doing a bit more.”
Rowley is still actively looking to add to his 2018 squad and hopes to be in a position to complete deals shortly.
