Warriors have been rocked by a late spate of injuries, meaning that the Sixways crowd need to step-up as a 16th man more than ever during this Friday’s play-off semi-final second leg against London Scottish.
The side managed to battle to a five-point win in the first leg last weekend but their place in the final is well and truly hanging in the balance after injury blows to a string of star performers.
Charlie Mulchrone will miss the rest of the season after limping off during the first leg in Richmond.
His injury has since been diagnosed as a broken foot and, with Jonny Arr facing an RFU Disciplinary Panel on Wednesday evening, Warriors will turn to Cavaliers captain JB Bruzulier to fill the scrum-half berth.
With George de Cothi also on the sidelines, Dean Ryan has drafted in Warwick School student Jamie Shillcock, who has been specially registered for Friday’s game, and the 17-year-old England Under 18 international faces the exciting possibility of making the matchday squad.
Warriors finished the regular season with the highest number of league tries but will now also be without prolific scorer Max Stelling on Friday after he was forced off against Bristol last month.
And in another cruel blow, midfield partner Andy Symons suffered a leg injury during training this week, meaning he too will miss the game.
England international Chris Pennell is still recovering from a knee injury and he too will miss out on selection for Friday’s do-or-die match.
It means Warriors are without four of their first-choice backline and will rely on the Sixways crowd to pull them through what promises to be a demanding encounter.
Following the injury news, Warriors Chief Executive Jim O’Toole believes supporters will be a deciding factor in whether the side can progress to the final.
And he has appealed for every Warriors fan to come together to be Warriors’ 16th man.
He said: “We always knew that the play-offs would throw us some curveballs. These unlikely and unfortunate circumstances have all gone against us and we now face a real challenge to qualify for the play-off final as we’ll be without some of our key players.
“We’ve got some experienced heads out there but we’ll also have youngsters on the pitch who will need the crowd to give them all the support they can.
“I would urge any supporter who hasn’t committed yet to get a ticket and sing their heart out on Friday. This is not about ticket sales or revenues, it’s backs- to-the wall time, and about being there to get the boys across the line.