Michael Lipman could yet have a part to play in Bath's Heineken Cup and Guinness Premiership glory bid after it was revealed he has not suffered any structural damage to his neck.

The Bath captain was carried off on a stretcher, wearing a neck brace, during his side's 22-14 win over Wasps on Wednesday night.

But the extent of his injury has been revealed as a strained ligament in his neck – which means he could play again before the end of the season.

Bath, who are third in the Premiership and still in the Heineken Cup, have up to eight matches left to play this season.

And head coach Steve Meehan said: "I would think Michael could still play a part this season. It all depends on how well he responds to treatment.

"It is certainly not the end of his career, which was on everybody's minds on Wednesday night. I think everybody in the ground carried a common concern for him, because, as we said on the night, you really do not want to see that kind of thing."

Lipman, understandably, reported stiffness in his neck – and Meehan says his star flanker must rest before he even considers a playing comeback.

"It's a strained ligament in his neck, but the scans have all come back clear, so that's good news," said Meehan. It's a question of time now, and of him getting the movement back in his neck, which is quite stiff and quite sore at the moment.

"In the short term, he can only do X amount in regard to getting the movement back, because doing too much can cause the facet joints in the neck to flare up.

"He has got to let things settle down for a while – and then the physiotherapy and everything else will take place."