Leicester Tigers flanker Ben Woods has broken his wrist and is likely to miss the double European Champions' double header against Perpignan in December.
The injury wasn't picked up on initial medical examinations but the 28-year-old will undergo surgery on his scaphoid bone in his wrist within the next week and will be out for at least six weeks.
Woods has endured countless injuries in the last few season's and the openside only managed 10 starts last season as he struggled with a broken foot.
"He did it during a game and it became very sore," Cockerill told the Leicester Mercury.
"It is a hard break to pick up (on scans) and is just the latest in our run of bad luck on the injuries front."
The Tigers have suffered so far this season on the injury front, with of Louis Deacon, Geoff Parling, Boris Stankovich, Jeremy Staunton, Anthony Allen, Richard Blaze and Jordan Crane all having experienced time on the sidelines.