Bristol Bears lost key second row Joe Joyce to an hyperextended elbow in the final moments of the warm-up at Welford Road on Saturday.
Joyce will not be assessed by the medical team back at Bristol’s High Performance Centre but is in a race against time to be fit to face Clermont Auvergne on Friday night in the club’s increasingly important last 16 knock-out round game in the European Challenge Cup.
The Bears’ 46-24 defeat to Leicester Tigers in the league this weekend means Pat Lam’s side are now outsiders to make the Premiership playoffs, increasing the importance of the European clash.