The Bears also lost back Max Malins - who is their second choice at fly-half - for the rest of the season to an Achilles injury last week.

Academy player Sam Worsley started Friday's match against Sale, while centre James Williams, who can also play at 10, returned from a pectoral injury to the replacements bench that has kept him out since early October.

However, Lam said he was exploring options to bolster the position in the squad.

"After that [Worsley and Williams] we're down to makeshift people like Benhard [Janse van Rensburg] which we don't want to have to use, so we are looking around at the minute," he said.

"We have to prepare because the games are coming thick and fast and don't stop to mid-February."