Bath flanker Ted Hill is set to miss “a number of months” through an upper leg injury.
Hill went off with the injury at the end of Bath's 34-26 win against Newcastle in their opening Premiership game last weekend.
The 24-year-old started 13 of 15 games for the club last season after the two-time England international joined following the collapse of Worcester.
Hill hadn't played for England since coming off the bench against USA in a summer international at Twickenham back in 2021, having previously made a cameo appearance off the bench in a win over Japan in 2018.
A statement from the club confirmed Hill would be “sidelined for a number of months”.
Director of rugby Johann van Grann confirmed that Hill had gone to see another specialist for a second opinion on the injury.
Miles Reid came into the starting XV in his place for the away win at Saracens yesterday.
Hill and loosehead prop Beno Obano both suffered injuries in the victory over Newcastle with the front-rower leaving the stadium wearing a space boot, however, it is Hill's upper leg injury that is proving more cause for concern longterm.
Van Grann said: “Beno Obano hasn't trained this week. We hope he will be back in training this Thursday. Ted Hill has gone for another specialist opinion on his upper leg injury and when we have more information on it we will make it public but he is going to get another view on that leg injury.”
There is plenty of competition across the Bath back row even with Sam Underhill away with England after a late call-up as an injury replacement for Jack Willis, with Miles Reid the obvious choice to replace Hill at blindside flanker this week, but the versatile Fergus Lee-Warner and Ewan Richards are alternative choices.
