Bristol Bears head to French Top 14 side ASM Clermont Auvergne on Saturday with just one specialist fly-half in the squad again following another disastrous weekend of injuries for the English side.

Harry Byrne will lead the side from fly-half for the second weekend running having fortunately only suffered cramp in the win against Benetton on Sunday to set-up Saturday’s make-or-break Champions Cup game away in France. The Bears must win or draw to make the knockout rounds in Europe, whether that will be in the Champions Cup or Challenge Cup depends on results elsewhere in Pool 2 with Leinster hosting Bath and La Rochelle travelling to Benetton.

Byrne was feeling the strain on his body in his first start of the season having only made three short cameo appearances off the bench for Leinster this season before signing a three-month loan deal with Bristol to cover the absence of USA international AJ MacGinty who is recovering from an operation on his knee.

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But centre Jimmy Williams - who was cover for stand-off last weekend - and young academy number 10 Sam Worsley will both be unavailable for the trip to the Massif Central this weekend due to hand injuries. Williams injured his finger and wrist in his try-scoring display against Benetton, while Worsley picked up a tendon injury to his finger in a try-scoring display on loan at Dings Crusaders. Add to that, lock Joe Batley is out of the game with a toe injury that requires surgery having only just returned from a fracture to the bone in his leg. The result is the Bears squad is being stretched to breaking point once again.

Speaking in his midweek press conference, Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam said: “We have got some challenges. Hot off the press. We have lost Jimmy Williams now for another six weeks and we have also lost Sam Worsley. So we have lost our four 10s in the squad, AJ MacGinty [knee], Max Malins [Achilles], now Jimmy and Sam.

“Sam had an unbelievable game for Dings, they won, he scored a try and set up a few. He was buzzing after the game and he dominated that level having played a few games for us, but he has snapped the tendon in his finger and needs surgery and could be out for four or five weeks. Imagine if we didn’t have Harry Byrne? We would be in massive trouble. So once again Benhard [Janse van Rensburg] is going to have to be the back-up for 10, Rich Lane and Sam Wolstenholme are putting up their hands in training as well.

“We are being hit in the 10 position and hit at second row because Joe Batley requires surgery and will be out for another three months. That is what we are navigating through and it really impacts the cohesion of your team. When we started this competition our cohesion was really high but now we have to keep integrating in new players."

Lam also revealed the camp was hit by a sickness bug last weekend with several players being touch and go to make the kick off against Benetton, but he said that has cleared up this week and he intends to send his strongest possible side to face Clermont.