Bristol Bears have been forced to leave one of their sharpest attacking weapons back in England.
Pat Lam’s side take on La Rochelle tomorrow in the European Challenge Cup quarter-final, but their job of reaching the final four of the competition has become significantly harder it was revealed today.
The Bears head coach has told Bristol Live Australian international winger Luke Morahan is out of the game at the Stade Marcel Deflandre with an injury.
Morahan has scored six tries in the Gallagher Premiership this season and scored 17 in the Championship to help Bristol earn promotion back to the top flight, finishing as the top try scorer in the league and at the club in 2017/18.
Morahan picked up a minor groin strain in training on Friday and Lam said as a precaution, which huge games in the Gallagher Premiership still to come, he has been left out of the squad this weekend.
Luke Daniels is promoted from the bench to the wing with Mat Protheroe coming into the matchday 23.
The club’s head of medical services Rory Murray confirmed the three time Wallaby, who has been in stunning form this season, is expected to be back in training next week ahead of the Bath v Bristol derby - The Clash.
That means Lam is now without all three of his first choice three quarters for one of the club’s biggest games of the season.
Full back Charles Piutau is set to be out until the end of April with a calf strain picked up in the win over Northampton Saints while winger Alapati Leiua is serving the final match of a four game ban picked up for making contact with his forearm to Marcus Smith’s head in the Premiership defeat to Harlequins.
Lam said: “This is as strong as we get barring injuries.
“We would love to have Piutau, Leiua and Morahan, our first choice back three, but Luke got injured yesterday, he strained his groin, and we are not going to take any risks with him; hopefully he will be back next week.
“Leiua comes back next week and those that come in will now have an opportunity to show what they can do.
“This is the strongest side we could field that was available.”
Follow all the action from 12:45pm tomorrow.
