EXETER Chiefs prop Hoani Tui is likely to miss the next couple of months after breaking an arm at the weekend.

The Kiwi fractured his left forearm during the 13-9 defeat of London Welsh that continued the Chiefs' unbeaten start.

Head coach Rob Baxter said it was too early to put an exact timescale on the tighthead's recovery.

But he is pleased it will give the former New Zealand Maori player a chance to have a decent rest.

Tui, 25, started pre-season training with the Chiefs less than two weeks after his season with Italian outfit Calvisano ended. He is one of only three props used by Exeter so far this season, so has featured in every game, but fellow front-rowers Chris Budgen and Ben Moon are available to play at Birmingham on Saturday.

Baxter said: "It's not the worst injury to have at this time of year as Hoani should be over the injury and fully fit post-Christmas.

"Hoani didn't get much of a break in the summer after his season finished late at Calvisano, so this is a chance for him to have a bit of a rest and that has got to be a good thing.

"When he's had that break we can get him back in, work on his rehab and get him back up playing again.

"It's not the end of the world but it is disappointing because he was playing so well.

"We're pretty fortunate that Ben (Moon) and Chris (Budgen) are both available this weekend, so if the injury was going to happen at any time this is probably the best time."

Budgen and Moon are not the only players coming back into contention this week, as a host of players got game time elsewhere on Saturday.

Andy Miller and Nic Sestaret both played 80 minutes for Barnstaple's second string against Sidmouth, while Saul Nelson and Sean Marsden played a second team game in Bristol.

Sestaret, Nelson and Marsden are all in contention to play this weekend, while Miller could be available if he passes some medical checks this week.

Club captain Alan Miller was also having a medical check yesterday to see if he is ready to return from a fractured cheekbone.

Despite all that good news, Baxter has already moved to warn his squad against complacency ahead of Saturday's trip to crisis club Birmingham & Solihull.

The Bees have until Friday next week to settle their £93,000 debt with the Inland Revenue and their cash problems have seen around nine first team players leave in the past fortnight.

That makes planning for what the Midlanders are going to do quite difficult, but Baxter sees it as a good chance for other players in his squad to impress.

"The players who remain are playing purely because they want to and they will go out and have a good go," he said.

"Anyone who goes up there being complacent could be in for a big shock."