Warrior Wood out for four months

Wood should be fit to return before the end of the season

Worcester Warriors have confirmed that flanker Tom Wood is to undergo shoulder surgery and will be ruled out of competitive action for four months.

Wood, 22, will go under the knife this week to cure a persistent right shoulder problem.

"It's a blow that Tom's shoulder requires surgery," said Warriors director of rugby Mike Ruddock.

"But we've taken the decision to allow surgery as soon as possible in the interest of both player and team."

Ruddock does at least have more welcome news as far as the rest of his injury worries are concerned - and skipper Pat Sanderson's try-scoring return on Sunday should prove the prelude to several team-mates also coming back.

Sanderson scored four minutes after coming on as a half-time substitute in Sunday's 27-14 EDF Cup home defeat to Harlequins.

And coach Mike Ruddock expects Dale Rasmussen, Will Bowley and Hal Luscombe to follow him back from injury.

"They'll be vital in the next two months, which could be difficult unless we start to win some games," Ruddock told BBC Hereford and Worcester

"Pat came back today, Dale Rasmussen is on the way back, and he has a lot of experience of the Premiership.

"Will Bowley has been out injured as well and Hal Luscombe has started running now. He knows the Premiership. He's an international player. And getting them back will make such a difference."