Bristol hooker McCarthy suffers injury blow

Bristol Shoguns hooker Neil McCarthy is set to miss the next six months of the season after damaging knee ligaments during the 25-20 Zurich Premiership victory over Leicester Tigers on September 29.

The England international has ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament and torn the medial cartilage in his knee, adding to the woes of struggling Bristol who face losing prop Julian White to a ban after a recent sending off.

This double blow could seriously damage any plans to undo Leinster in the European Cup on Friday.