Bath want to sign back-up hooker after injuries to Ross Batty & Jack Walker

Ross Batty signed a two-year contract extension with Bath in January 2017

Bath want to sign a hooker following injuries to Ross Batty and Jack Walker, says director of rugby Todd Blackadder.

Batty is unavailable after having surgery on a neck injury in the summer, while Walker has suffered a third foot injury since joining Bath in May 2016.

Walker, 21, will be sidelined for three months having had an operation after breaking the same bone in his foot.

The injuries leave Tom Dunn, who has returned from England duty, and Michael van Vuuren as Bath's only fit hookers.

"We're still waiting to find out where Batty is at," Blackadder said. "We're currently looking for a back-up hooker with Jack Walker being out as well."

Bath welcome back Anthony Watson, Jonathan Joseph, Semesa Rokoduguni, Charlie Ewels, Rhys Priestland and Francois Louw from international duty for Saturday's Premiership game against champions Exeter.

However, flanker Sam Underhill has only an "outside chance" of being involved, according to Blackadder, after he sustained a head injury playing for England against Australia.

Prop Shaun Knight will be out for a further month with a neck injury, while Dave Attwood is "still a massive work in progress" after injuring his quad on return to training.