THE fate of three senior players has not been confirmed by Worcester Warriors.

A total of 18 first-team players and five academy lads will be departing Sixways when their contracts expire this summer.

Wing duo Tom Biggs and Cooper Vuna, lock Tevita Cavubati and fly-half Ryan Lamb are among the high-profile players being released by Warriors.

Highly-rated Samoan lock Chris Vui is joining Bristol after signing a big-money deal at the Ashton Gate club.

But the playing futures of back-row Dewald Potgieter and centre Wynand Olivier, who are both out of contract at the end of this term, remain unconfirmed.

Potgieter and Olivier both want to stay at the club and have not been included on the list of player departures.

The duo are understood to be close to signing new contracts at Sixways but the deals have not been confirmed by the club.

Club skipper Gerrit-Jan Van Velze also looks set to remain at Warriors despite uncertainty over his playing future.

Van Velze took a bang on the head in Worcester's first Aviva Premiership game of the season against Saracens.

Van Velze has missed the rest of the campaign with concussion.

Centre Max Stelling, who has not featured for Warriors in the top tier this term, remains under contract with the club.

Cavubati has struggled with injury this term and will be heading up north to join Newcastle Falcons.

The Fiji international is the ninth addition to Dean Richards' Falcons squad for next season,

Cavubati has made 15 Test appearances, and was a member of Fiji's 2015 World Cup squad.

"Tevita offers us some outstanding carrying and offloading ability," said Falcons director of rugby Richards.

"He is already familiar with Premiership rugby from his time at Worcester Warriors,

"He is an experienced international and this is the sort of quality signing which will help us build on the improvements we have already shown this season."