Bath Rugby will be without a trio backrow stars for Sunday’s do-or-die Champions Cup tie with ASM Clermont Auvergne after a costly encounter with Northampton Saints last weekend in the Gallagher Premiership

Sam Underhill, Guy Pepper and Jaco Coetzee will all miss the third pool stage game of the Investec Champions Cup this weekend after suffering injuries in the dramatic 35-34 defeat at Franklin’s Gardens.

England star Underhill suffered a reoccurrence of the ankle injury he originally picked up playing for his country while scoring a try against Japan back in the Autumn, flanker Pepper has pulled his hamstring and Coetzee suffered a horrible concussion. Winger Will Muir also suffered a hamstring injury the same weekend a deal had already been agreed to allow Regan Grace to leave the club to join Cardiff Rugby.

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Providing a fitness update on his squad ahead of the big European clash, Bath head of rugby Johann van Graan said: “Rory Murray and our medical team are getting one or two more opinions, but Guy and Will won’t be out for a week or two, it will be a bit longer. Sam Underhill also took a knock to that ankle of his so we are investigating further what that looks like.

“Sam picked up the knock to the ankle setting up the try for Max Ojomoh and played on but after the game it was quite sore and that is a bit of a worry for him.

“Sam is a very important game for us and he plays very well in big games. Looking back at the Premiership final he was one of our best players that day.

Van Graan said he did not want to speculate on the length of time Underhill could be sidelined until they have more information, with the flanker likely to have been named in England’s squad for the Six Nations which will be announced next week.

He continued: “Jaco Coetzee obviously failed his HIA after that unfortunate, massive collision in the middle in a rugby incident. So we took a few knocks at the weekend and shows how attritional that game was.”

With the backrow resources being tested, Bath are set to be bolstered by the return of Ted Hill who has trained fully this week having picked up a knock in the win against Saracens two weeks ago. That will likely see van Graan opting for Hill, Mile Reid and Alfie Barbeary in his backrow.

In the backline, van Graan confirmed that Scottish international centre Cam Redpath will not be available this weekend having pulled up with a leg injury against Saracens but Tom de Glanville is expected to come back into the mix.