The NSW Waratahs have received mixed news on injured pair Sitaleki Timani and Pat McCutcheon.

Second-rower Timani suffered a suspected season-ending hand injury during Saturday's 20-15 Super Rugby win over the Western Force.

But coach Chris Hickey told AAP on Monday scans suggest the injury is not as bad as first feared.

"They thought he had a Bennett's fracture which displaces the bone but it's not which is good news," Hickey said.

"He'll certainly be out for the next three weeks.

"It's a week-by-week proposition, if we get to three weeks and it's still not right it could be four or five but initially they thought he may have to have surgery but that doesn't appear to be the case.

"Hopefully it recovers and we can get him back out there because I thought he had a terrific game against the Force."

The news however wasn't so good for Australian sevens representative McCutcheon, who has been diagnosed with syndesmosis and will miss up to six weeks.

"We're going to have to look into club rugby again to fill the squad," Hickey said.

"We have been in a hard place for the past couple of weeks with injuries and great credit to the players like Johnny Ulugia who've gone out there and really performed for us.

"So yeah, I'm still confident that we can keep winning games.

"That's the important thing. That keeps us on the ladder where we need to be and hopefully after the Lions game there might be a couple back."

The Waratahs have a bye this weekend, and Hickey said the week off would be of great benefit to his team.

"We probably couldn't have planned it any better," he said.

"It's very timely, it gets everyone to have a bit of a break and freshen up."

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