Worcester Warriors were dealt another cruel back row injury blow as new recruit Ezra Taylor suffered a serious knee injury just two minutes into his club debut.
Samoa international Taylor only arrived at Sixways just days before Christmas and was therefore handed his full debut at Adams Park in the Aviva Premiership showdown with London Wasps on New Year’s Day.
However, in only the second minute of the league encounter the Number Eight crashed to the turf following a lineout and was stretchered off.
Head Coach Richard Hill revealed after the game that early indications were that Taylor would now face an extended spell on the sidelines and join the likes of Kai Horstmann, Adam Balding and Neil Best on the painful back row injury list.
“The bad luck continues with the back row,” bemoaned Hill. “We think Ezra has snapped a patella tendon which doesn’t sound nice and isn’t – that is probably his season over.
“Two minutes into his Worcester career and it’s gone. I am bitterly disappointed for him and we all wish him well with his recovery.
“It was a blow for us because the first carry of the game he did well. He was in the side to do some damage and carry some ball. But after two minutes we had to replace him.
“Matt Kvesic did very well when we moved him to Number Eight,” he added. “The argument was there to put Chris Jones back to eight and bring Ben Gulliver on, but it was a bit too early to change that second row combination.
“We moved Matt to eight and with Sam Betty, Jake Abbott we almost had three sevens playing in the back row. It was a good effort from them, but we could have done with more artillery.”
Hill will now turn his attention to the treatment room and not the marketplace to resolve the back row issue.
“I need to have a severe talk to our medical staff and make sure one of our other back row players gets fit quickly,” smiled Hill.
“Adam Balding, Kai Horstmann and Neil Best are out at the moment and have been long-term, so we have got to hurry them up.
“I don’t really want to go back into the market and try to get another back row, it is tough to find one and, as we have seen today, it didn’t work out.
“With a bit of luck one of those three will be fit in the next couple of weeks. They won’t be ready for Gloucester unfortunately, but after that we have got a four-week break from the league. We have to get one or two back for then.”
"Two minutes into his Worcester career and it’s gone. I am bitterly disappointed for him. It was a blow for us because the first carry he did well…."