WORCESTER Warriors will be without Nick Schonert for up to three months as he recovers from knee ligament damage.

The tighthead prop suffered the injury in his first outing of the season as he was helped off the field in last week’s defeat at Bath.

And the star scrummager is now facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines after the extent of the damage was confirmed following a visit to the specialist.

“Nick will be out for two to three months, probably three,” said director of rugby Alan Solomons.

“Of course it is a blow.

“The specialist had a look at it (on Thursday).

“It was a suspected grade two tear to his medial collateral ligament (in his right knee). That’s now been confirmed so we are looking conservatively at three months.”

Centre Will Butler, who injured his ankle in the same game, has also been ruled out for a similar period although he is due to have a further assessment next week.

“Will is in a brace and they are looking at a three-month period at this point,” Solomons added.