Ellis Genge is set to miss Bristol Bears' clash with Northampton Saints this weekend after suffering a wrist injury.
Northampton enter the fixture as reigning Gallagher PREM champions after finishing top of the table last season.
They went on to beat Leicester Tigers in the semi-finals before defeating Exeter Chiefs in the final.
Bristol finished sixth last season, but their campaign was heavily disrupted by injuries. Harry Randall, Gabriel Ibitoye and AJ MacGinty were among the senior players to spend significant periods on the sidelines.
Their injury problems have continued into the new season, with Ethan Staddon and Noah Heward both suffering ACL injuries. Kalaveti Ravouvou is also facing around 12 weeks out after picking up a knee injury while away with Fiji.
Genge, England's vice-captain, injured his wrist during Saturday's 34-24 victory over Sale Sharks. His absence will be a major blow for Pat Lam's side as they look to respond to their record 94-33 defeat against Saints in their most recent meeting in May.
Lam provided an update on his squad's fitness, telling Bristol Live: “There is only one out the Sale game.
“You would have seen in the very first tackle of the game, when we kicked the ball down, we had an unbelievable chase from our front five—Ellis Genge, Pedro, Kloska, Gabriel Oghre, all flying up. Genge made the tackle, and you would have seen him hold his hand.
“He sprained his wrist in that, so he won't be available this week. As the game went on, he was struggling to get a grip scrummaging, so he actually signalled to come off in that second half.
“At this stage, it's a sprained wrist, so hopefully it only keeps him out for two to three weeks at the most. Everyone else is just sore.”
Bristol will also be without Max Lahiff, who is sidelined with a foot injury. That leaves the Bears without both of their regular starting looseheads for the Saints clash.
Jake Woolmore came off the bench against Sale and is the most likely option to replace Genge in the starting XV, while 21-year-old Louie Trevett could come into the matchday squad.
A place on the bench would potentially give Trevett his Gallagher PREM debut. He made five appearances in the PREM Rugby Cup last season and featured 18 times in the Champ for Hartpury.
