Bath flanker Lewis Moody will be out of action for 10 to 12 weeks after undergoing shoulder surgery.
Moody, 33, suffered the injury during Bath’s 16-7 Aviva Premiership defeat to Worcester on November 25.
The former England captain has also been sidelined by eye and knee injuries since moving from Leicester to Bath last year, limiting him to just 13 league appearances and four in the Heineken Cup.
The Aviva Premiership have a home tie against Heineken Cup champions Leinster on Sunday.
Bath will have flanker Francois Louw and fly-half Stephen Donald available for the clash.