Forrester has been out of action since April 2007 (Getty Images)

Gloucester head coach Dean Ryan says James Forrester has an outside chance of being involved in the first team at the very end of the season.

The 27-year-old number eight has been out for nearly a year with a career-threatening knee injury.

But Forrester has been registered for the latter stages of the Heineken Cup.

Ryan told BBC Radio Gloucestershire: "I'd like to think if his rehabilitation goes fantastically well he could be an option."