New Bristol Bears back row Viliame Mata will miss the first two months of the season because of a hamstring injury.
The Fijian international – known as Bill – joined the club this summer from Edinburgh, where he has made more than a century of appearances and earned 13 caps.
The 32-year-old sustained the injury during a pre-season game for the Bears against Ealing and has since had what the club called a “successful surgery”.
He is expected to be out until November, with Bristol beginning their Premiership campaign at Newcastle on 20 September.
