WARRIORS return to Gallagher Premiership action this weekend without wing wizard Melani Nanai who will miss the rest of the season having undergone surgery for a shoulder injury.
Mid-table rivals Bath will take to the field at Sixways on Saturday (3pm) to provide Warriors’ first opposition in three weeks as Alan Solomons side took a breather after failing to reach the knockout stages of the European Challenge Cup.
Nanai joined Warriors from Super Rugby side Blues last summer and made eight appearances – all starts – before he suffered the shoulder injury in December.
The former Samoa Under-20s international has now had an operation to repair a torn muscle and remove a piece of floating bone.
Nanai’s fellow wing Tom Howe is expected to be sidelined for eight weeks because of a calf muscle injury which he suffered in the Gallagher Premiership match against Wasps two weeks ago.
Saturday’s clash with Bath is this year’s charity matchday for Acorns Children’s Hospice and will see Warriors players take to the field in limited edition shirts to raise much-needed cash for the city charity.
The new Valentine’s Day-themed shirt was designed by eight-year-old Warriors fan Tommy Smallpage who won a competition across schools in Worcestershire and Junior Warriors members to design a shirt incorporating the themes of Valentine’s Day and love.
Tommy’s eye-catching design came top in a supporters’ vote on Twitter and the shirts will be available to purchase from the Sixways Store on the day of the game.
Warriors hooker Niall Annett, who is the club’s Acorns Player Ambassador, said: “The Acorns Charity Matchday is an annual fixture for us and one that we always look forward to. It’s a change of strip for us too and it is an opportunity to raise money for such an amazing cause.” There will also be bucket collections around the ground.
Warriors have confirmed wing Melani Nanai will miss the rest of the season after surgery on his shoulder.