Dowson delivers Saints injury latest ahead of Champions Cup quarter-final at Bath

But Alex Coles and James Ramm, who suffered a hamstring injury in the win against Castres Olympique last Friday, will not be involved this week.

Saints are already without the likes of Trevor Davison and Edoardo Todaro, who have both suffered season-ending knee injuries.

But Mitchell, who has been recovering from a hamstring issue suffered playing for England against Ireland in February, Hendy, who had to be withdrawn in Saints’ PREM Rugby Cup semi-final defeat at Exeter Chiefs on March 8, and Smith, who has been going through the concussion protocols after having to come off against Saracens on March 28, are trending in the right direction for a return against Bath.

"They're good, they're not too far away," Saints boss Dowson said when asked about Mitchell and Hendy.

"They've trained fully so they're in the mix."

When asked whether fly-half Smith will be available this week, Dowson said: "Should be, yes."

When asked how good it would be to have England and British & Irish Lions half-backs Mitchell and Smith available to face Bath, Dowson said: “To have two international players who are absolutely integral to this club available is fantastic.

"You’ve got to bear in mind Mitch hasn’t played for some time and he hasn’t done tons of training. He’s done a full training week this week and most of it last week as well so we’ve got to be mindful of how we reintroduce him, but the quality of those players is undoubted and it’s great to have that selection opportunity now.

"But in the same breath, Tony (Anthony Belleau) has been good, Archie McParland has been excellent so we’re in a good spot there from a decision-making point of view.”

Versatile back Ramm had to come off during the first half of last weekend's win against Castres.

And Dowson said: "He's got a hamstring strain so we're still working through that, but he won't be available."

Coles has not played since suffering an ankle injury against France in the final match of England's Guinness Six Nations campaign on March 14.

"He (Coles) is currently in the Atlas Mountains at a Richard Branson resort with his partner so he’s quite a long way away at the moment, geographically,” Dowson said.

"From what I gather, he’s tracking well, but he’s probably a few weeks to a month away from where we’d like him to be.

"We obviously miss him but he also didn’t have any time off during the Six Nations and he’s picked up this injury so we thought it was a good time for him to refresh and get his head around it.

"Because of the injury, he didn’t fly to Antigua the week he was supposed to be off with a couple of his mates so this is his booby prize, if you like.”

Tighthead prop Davison recently had surgery to repair the knee he injured against Saracens late last month.

"Surgery was as good as could be predicted,” Dowson said.

"He'll still be out for a considerable amount of time and he'll have a check-up in six weeks.

"It's not ideal but it is what it is.

"Trev will deal with it, work hard and come back next season."