PROP Nick Schonert and centre Will Butler are injury concerns for Worcester Warriors director of rugby Alan Solomons.

The pair were both forced off with ankle issues in Warriors’ 36-28 defeat to Bath at The Rec in the Premiership Cup on Saturday.

Summer signings Melani Nanai and Richard Palframan also had to be replaced after receiving blows to the head.

But Solomons was most concerned about the injuries sustained to Schonert and Butler with the Gallagher Premiership starting in less than three weeks’ time.

Butler was withdrawn after just 15 minutes before Schonert who has previously had spells on the sidelines with ankle problems had to be helped off the field at the start of the second half.

“We will have to look at Nick and Butler,” said Solomons immediately after the match.

“I don’t know (the extent of their injuries) as I have not spoken to the medics yet. I’m going to do that now.

“It was definitely Nick’s ankle (that got injured), but I need to find out more before I can comment.”

Although Nanai did not come back on after having a head injury assessment (HIA), Solomons said the debutant wing had passed the concussion checks and would have been able to return.

But Palframan, who was also making his first outing after signing from London Scottish this summer, failed the HIA.

“Melani came through (the HIA),” Solomons said.

“We didn’t put him back on the field with two minutes to go as it would have been crazy to do so.

“Richard didn’t (pass it) so he will have to go through the (return to play) protocol.

“But the other two (Butler and Schonert) are more of a concern.”

Palframan’s injury came just a few minutes after he replaced Schonert. With two tightheads off the field, Callum Black moved across the front row to cover that position as Ryan Bower came on at loosehead.

Solomons felt the injury disruption had a “massive impact” on the outcome as Bath turned the screw in the scrum and ensured victory before Warriors’ late rally rescued a try-bonus point.

“We had the one scrum where we gave away a penalty in that first half and that was because we didn’t hear the ref,” Solomons said.

“But apart from that we scrummed really well. We had no difficultly there at all.

“The scrum only started suffering once we had that double injury blow as Richard went off within five minutes of coming on.

“It had a massive impact.

“Callum can play there but he is not a tighthead.

“Niall (Annett) was having his first game (of the season at hooker) but I thought Isaac (Miller) did really well when he came on.

“Our scrum, particularly without the tighthead, was our problem. That’s where we had the difficultly and it made a massive difference.”

Despite the defeat Warriors remain top of Pool C, one point ahead of Bath, Exeter Chiefs and Leicester Tigers. Worcester will now look to extend that lead when they take on Exeter at Sixways on Friday (7.45pm).