Super Rugby Pacific champions the Canterbury Crusaders, already enduring the club's worst ever run of results, were struck by a fresh blow on Tuesday when former All Blacks prop Owen Franks was suspended for two weeks.

Franks was penalised for a high hit on Wellington Hurricanes lock Justin Sangster as he cleaned out a ruck in the dying minutes of last Friday's 14-10 loss, a fourth in a row from the start of the season for the Christchurch side.