Bath number eight Dan du Preez has torn his hamstring and faces several weeks on the sideline, with the injury ruling him out of Friday's Gallagher Premiership derby against Gloucester and the subsequent fixture against his former club Sale Sharks.
Du Preez, who joined Bath from Sale in the off-season, had already missed last weekend's 32-14 Champions Cup defeat to Montpellier when the injury was confirmed by Bath head of rugby Johann van Graan.
"Unfortunately, he tore his hamstring earlier in the week, so he will be unavailable for a few weeks," Van Graan told SomersetLive.
The setback compounds a difficult run for Bath, who have now lost back-to-back matches against Northampton Saints and Montpellier. There was some relief, however, with fellow Springbok Jaco Coetzee returning to action against Montpellier following his second ACL injury, and 22-year-old Arthur Green catching the eye with a solo try in the same match.
Bath are expecting a gradual return of personnel in the coming weeks. Miles Reid is close to clearing concussion protocols, while wingers Will Muir and Henry Arundell and fullback Tom de Glanville have resumed parts of training. Thompson Cowan is targeting a comeback during the Autumn Prem Cup, Billy Sela is expected back in late November, Sam Underhill — recovering from bicep surgery — is unlikely before December, and prop Jamie Bhatti is aiming for the new year.