Danny Grewcock will miss the start of Bath Rugby's Heineken Cup campaigns as he recovers from srugery to repair a damaged bicep muscle.
The 35-year-old second-row, a key figure in Bath's glorious European Challenge Cup campaign last season, needs surgery on the bicep injury he suffered during the first half of last weekend's 24-16 home warm-up win over Llanelli Scarlets.
Head coach Steve Meehan has revealed that will sideline Grewcock for two months.
"It's similar, if not more severe, to the injury he suffered at Newcastle early on last season," said Meehan.
"That kept him out for two months and we expect him to need a similar length of time to recover from the operation he needs this time."
With last season's club captain Steve Borthwick gone and Grewcock sidelined, Meehan and forwards coach Mark Bakewell may need to pitch summer signings Justin Harrison and Stuart Hooper in at the deep end together when Bath open their Guinness Premiership campaign against Bristol at the Memorial Stadium on Sunday week.
"Losing a player of Danny Grewcock's huge influence and vast experience is a blow - as it would be to any other Premiership club," admitted Meehan.
"But we coped well last season when Borthwick was at the World Cup and when Grewcock was out injured and we'll do it again.
