HIGH performance director Nick Johnston has defended Worcester Warriors’ training regime despite the squad being ravaged by injuries.

Johnston says Warriors have reviewed their training programme after being hamstrung by a host of injuries this term.

But Johnston claims there has “not been a lot wrong” with the programmes and some of the injuries had been “down to bad luck".

Full-back Chris Pennell looks set to make his first appearance of the season following a neck injury in Warriors’ European Challenge Cup tie against French club Brive at Sixways (3pm).

But wing duo Bryce Heem (knee) and Tom Biggs (ankle) and centre Ryan Mills (groin) are still sidelined.

There are also concerns over fellow Warriors wings Cooper Vuna (knee) and Perry Humphreys (knee).

Humphreys, props Val Rapava Ruskin (ankle) and Na'ama Leleimalefaga (head) and back row Carl Kirwan (dislocated finger) all picked up knocks in Warriors' 34-13 defeat against Leicester Tigers at Welford Road.

Reflecting on the overall injury situation at Sixways, Johnston asked: “You have to look at last season and has that had an effect?”.

“We are not the only team (with injuries). There are five or six teams in a similar plight to us.

“Was it due to a World Cup year and do we need to look at that more closely?”

Skipper Gerrit-Jan van Velze was allowed time away from the club to recover from concussion sustained in Warriors' opening match against Saracens on September 3.

The South African number eight is expected to return for Worcester’s Premiership trip to Harlequins on October 29.

“Historically, most clubs are run at 25 per cent deficient in their squad at any point in the season and we have hit points that have been a lot higher than that,” said Johnston.

“We have had to look at what we are doing and there’s not been a lot wrong. We haven’t changed the way we do things and sometimes it’s purely down to bad luck.”

He added: "An injury audit has been running efficiently for 10 years and concussion protocols changed in 2012 and then in 2014.

"Before that, knee and shoulder injuries were the most common injuries but concussion has already overtaken them as the highest incidence of injury in the last three years.”