WORCESTER Rugby Club were today stunned by the news of Nick Baxter's suspected fractured eye socket which could rule him out for months.

The winger, who only made his comeback into the Gold'n'Blues first team at Otley recently after a long spell out of the side, suffered the injury during Saturday's 56-18 win over Henley Hawks and will undergo a scan today.

If the fracture is confirmed by doctors and a specialist on Friday, the winger will face yet more time on the sidelines.

It is a bitter blow to the Sixways' golden boy who has endured a nightmare season so far. The 27-year-old began the season recovering from a summer knee operation and only made three starts until his successful comeback at Otley where he bagged two tries.

Baxter, whose contract is up in the summer, looked likely to enjoy an extended run in the side until this latest setback.

Director of coaching Adrian Skeggs said: "It's devastating news if it is a fracture because he could be out for a while. It is obviously a very sensitive part of the body and you have to treat the injury with caution.

"I feel sorry for Nick because he's only just come back into the team and certainly looked the part at Otley."

Skeggs was today ready to run the rule over 22-year-old trialist Gavin Kerr who will play in tonight's Warriors match at Northampton, kick-off 7.30pm.

The former Scottish under-18 international prop, who was once on the books of Sale, is hoping to earn a Sixways contract with an impressive display at Franklin Gardens.

Front row forward Neil Lyman will continue his comeback from a calf injury with a second-half run-out.

Warriors: Back; McLean, Wilkes, Langkilde, Bromley; Yapp, Pellow; Huggett, Hall, Kerr, Webster, Denhardt, Broughton, Carter, Scriven. Replacements: Lyman, Benbouhout, Pearl, Knight, Jarman, Lamb, Eastwood.