Leicester fly-half Toby Flood will miss his side's opening two Heineken Cup matches after being ruled out for two months with knee-ligament damage.
The England playmaker was forced from the field in the derby defeat to Northampton at the weekend and scans have revealed a ligament strain.
In a repeat of last season, Flood will be absent from the double European champions' opening Heineken Cup fixtures but should be back in a Tigers shirt in time for the first of the back-to-back games against Perpignan.
The 25-year-old will miss Leicester's trip to Italy to face Magners League new boys Benetton Treviso on Saturday, October 9, as well as the home fixture against the Scarlets at Welford Road the following Sunday.
Leicester director of rugby Richard Cockerill is likely to turn to former London Wasps veteran Jeremy Staunton to fill Flood's shoes, starting with Saturday's Aviva Premiership tie at home to Exeter Chiefs.
Staunton joined the Tigers at the beginning of last season and went on to play 28 games in his debut season, including all bar one of Leicester's six Heineken Cup games.