St Helens hooker Daryl Clark has been ruled out for around eight weeks after suffering an ankle ligament injury in Sunday's defeat by Wigan at Magic Weekend.
The setback adds to an increasingly difficult spell for St Helens, who have lost five of their past six Super League matches and sit sixth in the table.
Clark's injury is the latest blow for a side already dealing with front-row problems. David Klemmer suffered broken ribs in the same game, while Alex Walmsley and George Delaney both failed head injury assessments and have been ruled out of the home game against Toulouse.
More problems for St Helens before Toulouse
The injury list leaves St Helens short on options in the pack at a time when they need a response. Clark's absence is especially significant because he has made 18 appearances, and losing a hooker for that long affects both the starting team and the bench structure.
For St Helens, the immediate focus is simply getting through the Toulouse fixture with enough front-row cover. Longer term, the eight-week timeline means Clark is set for a significant spell on the sidelines, with the club already under pressure to steady its Super League form.
