Bath Rugby back-rower Alafoti Fa'osiliva has been ruled out for at least six weeks with a knee injury.
The 28-year-old Samoan has proved a useful addition to the Bath squad since joining the club from local rivals Bristol last summer and has featured in ten of their 16 Aviva Premiership games this term.
But Fa'osiliva now faces a prolonged spell on the sidelines after damaging his Medial Collateral Ligament in the Premiership defeat at home to Saracens last week.
Bath head coach Mike Ford told BBC Points West: "Alafoti has taken a knock to his knee. We've had a scan on it and it's at least six weeks, at best. It's his MCL, so that's a problem for us."
Ford also confirmed that centre Jonathan Joseph and hooker Rob Webber would return from their ankle injuries before the end of the season.
Meanwhile, flanker Carl Fearns should be fit to return to action from a hamstring problem when Bath resume their Premiership campaign away at London Irish in two weeks' time.
Ford said: "Jonathan Joseph and Rob Webber are still out but will both be back before the end of the season.
"Carl Fearns is looking at probably the London Irish game to come back in."
