Bristol Bears are set to be without a trio of key stars for the top of table clash with Exeter Chiefs on Friday night.
Director of rugby Pat Lam confirmed Welsh international fly-half Callum Sheedy, Fijian captain and centre Semi Radradra and scrum-half Harry Randall will all miss the Round 17 Gallagher Premiership game at Ashton Gate.
Sheedy has had a scan following a late illegal not arms hit early in Saturdays’ win over Newcastle Falcons which saw him lose feeling down the left side of his body and be withdrawn for Ioan Lloyd.
Lam said: “He had a scan and fortunately there was nothing serious but it might be a couple of weeks before Callum is back.”
"It was good to get a few of the boys back last week, Ioan [Lloyd] was back from his ankle injury, Max [Malins] was back last week as well [from his quad strain] and a few others returned as well [Siale Piutau], and we have a few coming back this week as well.
"I have said many times the secret of the team is building competition and that comes from clarity, training and performance and we have been getting that in abundance with a lot of the high profile guys being unavailable for a lot of the games this year; it has given the opportunity to others who have stepped up and grown and it has created huge competition."
Bristol’s defeat to Bordeaux-Begles in the last 16 of the Heineken Champions Cup on Easter Sunday did not just cost them a place in the quarter-finals of Europe for the first time, it also cost them superstar Radradra who picked up an ankle injury and Randall who injured his shoulder.
Providing an update, Lam said: “Harry and Semi are still unavailable.
“Semi hurt his ankle in that Bordeaux game, he is not far away. He would probably be back next weekend but we don’t have a game so he should be ready for the Bath game.
“Harry Randall, he did his AC [joint in his shoulder] after the Bordeaux game. He will play again this season but certainly not for a couple of weeks.”
The medical team at Bristol had feared Randall would require surgery on the injury but after consultations with experts he has been spared going under the knife.
Lam continued: “Harry was flying, never got injured and then got selected for England having been man of the match against Exeter Chiefs and picked up an ankle injury.
"He has missed a lot of rugby now but hopefully we have seen the back end of that when he comes back.
“To be fair Andy Uren is doing a great job, even before Harry was out. My whole time here Andy and Harry have been battling it out and they have been neck and neck.
"I am really pleased with how Andy Uren is playing.
"He was pushing last year and before the start of the Champions Cup I couldn’t say who was number one but then Andy got injured.
“Once Andy had that injury Harry got the starts and got better for them but now Andy is coming through and I see both of them level pegging.
"The good news is captain and flanker Steven Luatua is looking positive for a return from a knee injury which has seen him sidelined for most of the last month.
Lam said: “He is doing well, there are a few more tests to go through but he is a good shout for his week.”
