FOUR players suffered head injuries in Worcester Warriors’ 38-10 defeat to Northampton Saints at Franklin’s Gardens.

Wing Perry Humphreys, centre Francois Venter and prop Nick Schonert failed head injury assessments (HIAs) in the opening 30 minutes of the Gallagher Premiership clash.

Gareth Milasinovich who replaced Schonert also sustained a blow to his head in the final eight minutes to cap a miserable afternoon for Warriors.

On the injured quartet, director of rugby Alan Solomons said: “Everyone is fine at the moment.

"But they have got to go through the (return to play) protocol and then we have just got to wait and see."

Asked whether the quartet would be fit for Warriors’ final home game against Saracens on Saturday, May 18, Solomons said: “It’s difficult to judge.

“I have not sat down with our doctor Karen Jones and spoken to her yet.

“I think the fact that we have got a two-week turnaround is going to help us.

“Hopefully once they have gone through the protocol they will be ready and available for selection for Saracens.”

With Humphreys off for Warriors Saints scrum-half Cobus Reinach became the second player to leave the field for a HIA inside the first 10 minutes.

But fortunately for the home side Reinach was deemed fit to come back on by medics while Worcester were hit by more setbacks as Venter and Schonert took bangs to their heads.

“I have never seen three HIAs in one half and then four in a game,” Solomons said.

“I have not seen that happen and for the players not to come back on as well.”

Asked whether poor tackling was the reason for the high head injury count, Solomons added: “I don’t know.

“Sometimes those things can happen. I can’t say.

“It’s one of those things but it certainly disrupted us.”

Humphreys’ injury came when he tried to tackle Luther Burrell who burst through for Saints’ opening try on five minutes.

Venter was then injured in the lead-up to Saints’ second score as Taqele Naiyavoro touched down in the corner.

Shortly after Duncan Weir got Warriors off the mark with a penalty Francois Hougaard was sin-binned for killing the ball.

Saints made the numerical advantage as Naiyavoro and Tom Wood powered over while Warriors also lost Schonert to a head injury.

Warriors got back in just before the interval when Ben Te’o crossed and Weir added the extras.

But Dan Bigger landed a penalty and converted Reece Marshall’s 60-minute score to complete a 13-point haul and condemn Warriors to a heavy away loss.

“Firstly you have got to give credit to Northampton,” Solomons said.

“I think they played really well and thoroughly deserved their win.

“Secondly I thought that first half was tremendously disruptive. We had three HIAs none of whom came back onto the field.

“Then we lost Francois Hougaard to a yellow card so we were in real trouble.

“We did well at the end of that first half to get the try and I thought we shored up better defensively in the second half.

“We then lost Gareth to another HIA – which was amazing!

“But I thought the lads that came on made a difference and our defence was miles better.”

It was Warriors’ ninth defeat on the road and the seventh time they have returned home empty handed this season.

Worcester sit in 10th position with one match to play.

“Of course we want to do better away from home and be more consistent in our performances,” Solomons added.