LUCKLESS Chris Horsman looks set for another spell on the Sixways sidelines after suffering a bicep injury in Worcester Warriors' 26-21 defeat to Leeds Carnegie at Headingley.

The Welsh international prop, who was making his first club appearance of the season after returning from World Cup duty in France, was forced off the field three minutes into the second-half following an innocuous-looking incident.

The 30-year-old, who left Headingley with his left arm in a sling, will have a scan to reveal the severity of the injury this week but his dejected demeanor suggested he was expecting a considerable lay-off.

He said: "At the moment it looks like I've ruptured the bicep and the ligament has come off the bone.

"I don't know what the prognosis will be until I've seen the surgeon and I'll take it from there.

"It is so frustrating and disappointing because I was looking forward to a big season with Worcester this year.

"Last year there was a lot of focus on the Six Nations and the World Cup, so I had targeted this year as a really big one for me and Worcester.

"Hopefully it might turn out to be just a slight tear and I'll be out for four to six weeks, but if the prognosis is not good it will be longer and I am really disappointed."

Warriors director of rugby Mike Ruddock admitted losing Horsman for a considerable period of time would be a major headache to his plans.

He said: "Chris thinks he might have torn a bicep muscle and obviously that is a big blow for us as he'll be out for a while if that is what he has done - we'll know more in the next few days.

"He has brought a lot of enthusiasm during the week and we were pleased to see him - it is a big blow."

Horsman added the defeat only served to compound the misery of his injury.

He said: "It is hugely disappointing - just one of those evenings.

"Fair play to Leeds, you can't take anything away from them - they have just come up to this division and they are hungry and very much like ourselves in our first year.

"They played well and were tactically better than us.

"We tried to play too much rugby, but not in the right places. We are on a learning curve as well, though.

"Personally I am absolutely devastated. It was a really innocuous thing.

"I was holding onto the side of a maul, the referee gave us a penalty and as I stepped forward my arm was trapped between two people and I just felt a pop'.

"It was agony, so I went in to see the doctor and he made his diagnosis."

Warriors are now bottom of the Guinness Premiership table, despite their bonus point at Leeds, as Wasps beat London Irish 28-14 today.

Ruddock's men, who visit Leicester on Saturday, are one point off Leeds and two off London Irish.

9:25pm Sunday 14th October 2007

Print   Email this   Comment