Sale's Welsh centre Lee Thomas will be sidelined until the new year, after suffering a severe and complex dislocation of the shoulder.
Thomas will undergo surgery at the Alexandra Hospital in Cheadle tomorrow, and his recovery time is expected to be three months.
The 24-year-old, who has represented Wales Under-21s, was injured just 12 minutes into Sale’s 32-15 Heineken Cup victory over Clermont Auvergne on Saturday.
Scrum-half Dwayne Peel suffered a ‘stinger’ to the shoulder, but Sale hope the Wales international will be available to face Munster this weekend.
Full-back Mathew Tait and prop Andrew Sheridan are also expected to be fit, after missing the historic victory in France with arm and hamstring injuries respectively.