Bath may turn to 18-year-old Isaac Mears for his first-team debut in Sunday's Champions Cup semi-final against Bordeaux-Begles after a spate of injuries decimated their scrum-half options.
First-choice Ben Spencer is 'touch and go' with a shoulder complaint, while backup Bernard van der Linde has undergone ankle surgery after being injured against Northampton. That leaves Tom Carr-Smith as the only fully fit senior scrum-half.
Mears, son of former Bath and England hooker Lee Mears, signed his first professional contract earlier this month and has been promoted from the university side to cover the crisis.
Head coach Johann van Graan hinted at unconventional solutions, referencing the Springboks' 2023 World Cup final win where they used a 7-1 bench split and no dedicated scrum-half cover. 'In a worst-case scenario, you might see somebody play at nine that's never played at nine,' he said.
Bath also have injury doubts over Joe Cokanasiga (leg), Max Ojomoh (knee), and Cameron Redpath. The team will make a final decision after training on Friday.
Bordeaux-Begles, the defending champions, have struggled in the Top 14 this season and are coming off a home defeat to Montpellier.