James injured his shoulder playing at Vicarage Road (Getty Images)

Bath head coach Steve Meehan thinks that injured fly-half Butch James could return against Leeds in next month's European Challenge Cup quarter-final.

"Each week he gets better and more enthusiastic about coming back," Meehan told BBC Radio Bristol. "He was a little bit frustrated earlier on.

"He's just spent a few days in South Africa for his father's 60th birthday, which was good for his mind."

The 29 year-old has been out with a shoulder injury since late January.

"When you're suffering from injury, it's very difficult to always be around everybody else," Meehan added.

"So that's been a good break for him, he's come back and he looks very fresh and fit."