ANDY Gomarsall is facing a fitness battle ahead of Worcester Warriors last warm-up game against Benetton Treviso at Sixways on Friday night (8pm).

The England international scrum-half missed Saturday's friendly at Llanelli after picking up an infection in a cut on his leg and is the club's biggest injury concern ahead of the new campaign.

Director of rugby John Brain said: "He picked it up in training and we've got to monitor his progress. These things can be nasty and I've known people to be laid up in hospital.

"What we were keen to do was make sure he was treated quickly so there was no danger of him being out long-term."

Gomarsall has been on medication and the coaches will assess his fitness before deciding whether to risk him against the Italian side. Matt Powell wore the number nine jersey against Llanelli and academy player Nick Runciman came on in the second-half.

Runciman has been training with the first team in pre-season and his impressive showing on Saturday provides Brain with another option in that position. Frenchman Nicolas Le Roux, who performed well at full-back at Stradey Park, can also play at srum-half.

Prop Chris Horsman came off against the Scarlets with a sore shoulder and centre Thomas Lombard had a knee problem, but Brain insists that neither player is a cause for concern.

Mike MacDonald has been back in his native USA this week and will have his fitness assessed on his return to Sixways today.

The prop hurt his neck in training last week and missed out on the trip to South Wales.

But Brain is optimistic about the progress of another absentee, Shane Drahm, and hopes that the fly-half will be able to take some part in the Treviso game after recovering from a knee operation.