Bristol Bears captain Steven Luatua suffered a dislocated wrist as his side were beaten 38-29 at home by Harlequins on Sunday, director of rugby Pat Lam confirmed post-match.
The former All Black flanker, making his first start in three weeks having been nursing a calf injury and coming off the bench, left the field in the 10th minute with his shirt turned into a makeshift sling.
His departure came moments after he scored a wonder-try in the corner to drag his side back into the contest at Ashton Gate having gone 14-0 down inside the first five minutes.
Luatua managed to stay inbounds and dot the ball down despite Tyrone Green, Danny Care and giant South African centre Andre Esterhuizen all trying to stop him and drive the 30-year-old forward into touch.
Speaking after the match, Lam said: “Both sides lost key men in the first half.
“Stevie scored a great try in the corner and then we lost him to injury, he dislocated his wrist to that is not good.
“Sam Jeffries looks to have hurt his knee as he scored his try so they were big loses early in the game.”
Going into the match the backrow was an area of perceived strength for the Bears with number eight Fitz Harding back from a hand injury suffered while cooking and flanker Dan Thomas rested.
But now it looks to be another problem area along with scrum-half, full back and tighthead, with Bath loanee Max Green making his Bears debut at nine and Bedford Blues loanee Richard Lane making his club debut at 15.
Discussing Green, who became the Bears’ seventh scrum-half used this season along with Harry Randall [England duty], Andy Uren [hamstring], Tom Whiteley [hamstring injury], Toby Venner [knee], Oscar Lennon [calf] and trialist Theo Strang who came off the bench, Lam said: “Max did well.
“We have got to be fair to these guys because they are coming in for a week or two and training, trying to pick it all up and it is not natural to them like it is for Harry Randall or Andy Uren.
I"t is different if they have been here all season, then they would know, so if we judge them but that they have done a good job, just like Oscar Lennon did last week.
“I thought Richard Lane did a good job at full-back as well.
“He started to cramp a little bit with the pace of the game but I thought his contribution was good.”
Former All Black tighthead John Afoa, 37, returned from a leg strain to ease the problems in the frontrow, although Bristol prop Kyle Sinckler suffered a head injury and failed a HIA in England’s defeat to Ireland in the Six Nations on Saturday to add concern.
In addition to those mentioned, according to the Bears’ official injury list on Friday they are also without Harry Thacker, Jake Woolmore, Max Lahiff,, Sam Bedlow, Toby Fricker, Charles Piutau, Luke Morahan, Charlie Powell and Ioan Lloyd.
Lam added: “We are there and thereabouts as a team.
“I am always looking forward to being full strength or closer to it, but then we lose Steven Luatua and Sam Jeffries.
“It feels like we are plugging holes in a dam, but we still have lot to play for this season.”
