Bristol Bears will be without winger Gabriel Ibitoye, the Premiership’s leading try scorer this season, for up to six weeks with a leg injury.
The back went off after 31 minutes during their record home defeat by Sale last Friday.
The 26-year-old has seven tries in nine games and has also made the most metres and line breaks of anyone in the league.
“Gabs Ibitoye, could be four to five, possibly six weeks with his leg,” Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam told BBC Radio Bristol.
“It’s not far off but we’ve got to get it right.”
The injury means Ibitoye will likely miss the Bears’ Premiership games away to Saracens on Saturday and at home to Newcastle on 26 January, as well as two crucial Champions Cup matches against Benetton and ASM Clermont.
Ibitoye joins a growing list of injured players unavailable for the Bears, with fly-half AJ MacGinty and full-back Max Lahiff both out long-term, while fellow winger Siva Naulago has also not played since the end of November.
Following defeat by Sale, Lam admitted the Bears face an “injury challenge” over the next few weeks.
