BACKS coach Sam Vesty admits Worcester Warriors might “look into some form of cover” after their astonishing injury jinx continued.

Fly-half Tom Heathcote will miss at least Saturday’s Aviva Premiership trip to Harlequins after he was knocked out in Worcester’s 25-24 defeat to Brive in the European Challenge Cup.

The stand-off was stretchered from the field wearing an oxygen mask after being poleaxed in a 50th-minute challenge which went unpunished by Irish referee Gary Conway.

Hooker Matti Williams was replaced before the break with an injury and lock Christian Scotland-Williamson limped from the pitch with a knee problem in a bruising Pool Three match.

In the lead-up to the match, Warriors confirmed South African scrum-half Francois Hougaard would be out for “10 to 12 weeks” and needed an operation on a damaged shoulder.

Vesty admitted: “We might look into some form of cover and we will be chatting about that in our meeting on Monday.

“Tom was compos mentis but he will have to get his neck sorted out.

“He was with the medical team and talking nicely after the game but they had to check all the structures.

“It was a tackle where a shoulder caught his head and it was a nasty-looking collision.”

Despite Warriors’ lengthy injury list, Vesty says Warriors have got a “few guys coming back in the next month”.

Flanker Dewald Potgieter is thought to be just a week away from a return after recovering well from thigh surgery.

“Dewald is running around again and he’s trained with us for the last couple of weeks so hopefully he will be knocking around,” said Vesty.

“Bryce Heem is starting to load up his knee and it’s about how he reacts to that but I think all the signs are positive at the moment.”

Speaking about Hougaard’s injury, Vesty said: “It is what it is. We are disappointed we’ve had a guy who went away to play for his country and has come back with an undiagnosed injury.

“But he will get the best treatment and he’s in the best place possible to get as quick a return as is sensible and possible. We went and got the diagnosis which is resulting in surgery.”

Skipper Gerrit-Jan van Velze has returned to Sixways after being granted a break away from the club to recover from concussion.

However, wing duo Cooper Vuna (knee) and Perry Humphreys (knee) are both wearing knee braces to support their injuries.

Full-back Chris Pennell impressed against Brive in his first outing of the campaign and centre Ben Te’o scored a try and worked hard.

Scrum-half Luke Baldwin caught the eye with an energetic display and Jamie Shillcock showed his flair after replacing Heathcote at fly-half.

But Warriors find themselves at the bottom of their European group with just two points on the board after two successive defeats.

Warriors now take a break from the European competition before hosting Newport Gwent Dragons on December 10 and then travelling to the Gwent club on December 16.

“It’s not good and I am disappointed with where we are,” said Vesty.

“We have created enough opportunities and it is very disappointing to come away with just two points after two matches.

“We need to be better than that.”