Boss Richard Hill admitted he would almost certainly need to act to halt a back row ‘mini-crisis’ at Warriors as flanker Matt Kvesic was stretchered off in the 15-9 defeat to Exeter Chiefs.
Hill was already without the services of back row trio Kai Horstmann, Adam Balding and Neil Best at Sandy Park.
That injury list could now deepen with England Under-20 Kvesic carried off and taken to hospital for X-rays with an ankle injury.
Hill had already revealed last week that he was close to concluding a deal for an unnamed new back row forward.
However, with Kvesic waiting for new on his injury, his recruitment drive could be set to go into overdrive ahead of the sold out home league game with Leicester Tigers on December 27.
“Matt (Kvesic) has gone to hospital for an X-ray,” revealed Hill. “We have got to wait and see what the hospital find.
“It initially looked like it could be one of those break and dislocations with the way everyone reacted around the player.
“But he wasn’t too bad when he came off. Normally you have gas and air if it’s a bad injury and you have to splint the ankle, but he didn’t have that which is hopefully a good sign. But we will wait and see.
“I understand we are further down the line with a new signing,” he added. “I can’t really commit myself to that yet as it is not all signed and sealed. But as a result of today I might also need to get another one in too.
“We are lucky that we have some great opensides at the club. Jake (Abbott) did well and put a lot of pressure on at the breakdown when he came on. He forced some turnovers and carried a lot of ball, he took a few bashes and looks a bit of a state now.
“But we have only got two back row players left now in Jake and Sam Betty, the rest are in the treatment room.
“We are in a mini crisis at the moment. I did say that we could just about cope by putting Chris Jones at Number Eight. But after some bad luck to Matt, I am going to have to find another back row.”