WORCESTER Warriors are in the market for a player who can fill the shoes of injured prop Nick Schonert.

Director of rugby Gary Gold revealed Warriors were looking to sign a tighthead as cover for Schonert who has “badly” damaged his ankle.

The 25-year-old was stretchered off in Worcester’s 24-10 defeat to Wasps and now faces a “significant” period of time on the treatment table.

With Simon Kerrod also out for up to two months with a groin injury Warriors have been left with two fit players to contest the number three position in Biyi Alo and Gareth Milasinovich.

Gold admitted tightheads were as rare as “hen’s teeth” and said there was “no chance” Worcester would make a new signing before Friday’s home clash with Exeter Chiefs (7.45pm).

But he stressed the need for Warriors, who struggled in the scrum when Schonert left the field against Wasps, to find a front rower.

“We have lost two tightheads and they are both going to be out for a significant period of time,” Gold said.

“We cannot afford another injury at the moment because we won’t physically have another tighthead to play as we are down to our last two.

“It is probably an area we need to get some cover for even if it is in the short term before Nick and Simon return.

“It is work in progress but we haven’t identified anybody yet.

“If you want to replace guys who are injured you want to replace them with players of a similar quality.

“But unfortunately tightheads are like hen's teeth. They are not lying around waiting to come to Worcester.

“It is posing a bit of a logistical issue but we are on the case.”

Warriors have yet to confirm how long Schonert, who has made 69 appearances for the club since his arrival in the summer of 2014, will be out for.

But the scans have shown the injury to be not as bad as Gold first feared.

“It does look like Nick has badly ruptured the tendons on both sides so it will be a significant lay-off,” Gold said.

“But he hasn’t broken the ankle so that is some consolation.”