England prop Kyle Sinckler is not expected to play again before Christmas after suffering an injury during the Autumn Nations Series finale against South Africa on Saturday.
Bristol boss Pat Lam is hopeful that Sinckler will be back in the Bears’ selection mix for a Gallagher Premiership appointment with Harlequins at Twickenham on December 27.
Sinckler missed England’s summer tour of Australia due to a back problem.
But he returned for the autumn Tests, starting all four games against Argentina, Japan, New Zealand and the Springboks.
England head coach Eddie Jones changed the entire front row at half-time in the South Africa game, which ended in a 27-13 defeat, with Sinckler, Jamie George and Mako Vunipola all going off.
“Kyle took a knock in the first 40 minutes,” Lam said.
“Unfortunately, it looks as though he will probably miss three, potentially four weeks.
“It’s disappointing, but that’s the way it is, and he just gets back into his rehab and so forth. It is his leg, I think around his groin area.”
Sinckler, who has won more than 50 caps, is set to sit out Saturday’s Premiership clash against Leicester, plus European Challenge Cup pool games against Perpignan and Zebre Parma.
But while Sinckler is absent for Leicester’s Ashton Gate visit, Bristol are ready to welcome back their star Fijian centre Semi Radradra against the Tigers.
Radradra has not played since April after undergoing a second knee operation in two years.
Lam added: “Semi is back. He trained extremely well yesterday, and he is excited and ready to go.
“He is buzzing and looking forward to getting his first hit-out for a while.
“Right from when he arrived at the club, he has had a huge impact on and off the field. You see his professionalism.
“Some of the injuries he has had on that knee, some players wouldn’t come back from, but he is diligent and puts the work in.”
