London Wasps may be forced to begin their Amlin Challenge Cup campaign without two of their most-promising young players.
The 2004 and 2007 Heineken Cup winners face French newcomers Racing-Metro 92 at Adams Park on Sunday afternoon as they look to mirror their Challenge Cup winning season of six years ago.
But Tony Hanks' men may have to take on Lionel Nallet and co without star fly-half cum full back Danny Cipriani and Australian wing Lachlan Mitchell.
Cipriani, who remains one of the most-talked about players in England despite not being named in his country's most-recent Elite Player squad, left the field after 70 minutes of Wasps' 20-15 win over Northampton yesterday.
The 22-year-old took a knock to his right knee and is currently being monitored by the club's physio department.
And while Cipriani walked off the pitch in High Wycombe, Mitchell wasn't so fortunate.
The former New South Wales Waratahs Academy member was stretchered off after making a try-saving tackle just four minutes after replacing Cipriani at full back.
In preventing Saints wing Chris Ashton from touching down with just five minutes left to play, Mitchell's head made contact with his opponent's knee and brought his afternoon's work to a premature end.
Although he was fully conscious when he was carried from the field, Mitchell was taken to Stoke Mandeville hospital for a full review of his condition.
The ex-Sydney University player was not required to stay overnight, however, and is now under the watchful eye of the Wasps medical team.
"He was conscious when he left but you don't take any chances after a collision like that," said Hanks.
"There's not too many braver than Lachie."
