IT'S about time to reassess the injury problems which have ravaged the Worcester squad this season.

The list below shows you the players we've had out and those who are still battling to be back on the pitch.

Needless to say we could field a whole team of crocks -- we're just short of another lock!

But there's an explanation for the current situation which goes further than just writing it all off as a case of bad luck.

The game's getting more physical and the players have worked hard in training.

When Duncan Hall arrived he demanded higher fitness levels and quite rightly with the quality we're trying to achieve.

We will need fitter and more powerful players if we make the step up to a higher grade next season.

But it all puts more strain on the players' bodies and added to that we've had contact collision injuries.

Last campaign we had virtually a full hand for the whole of the season, but the problems this time have shown we've got a strong squad that's exactly what we need.

Looking back to last Saturday's victory over Orrell we've tried to analyse the positive aspects of our play.

Yes, we made some mistakes but we found that Bruce Fenley had the ball 57 times, which is a tremendous effort from the forwards. We are obviously winning enough ball it's now just a question of what we do with that possession.

With set pieces working well, we've got to look at open play and that involves getting the simple things right.

It is something the management team discussed this week and we are confident that with a little bit more composure we will see the style of play we're aiming for.

We won the game comfortably but the work ethic stays with us. Of course it's a very big game at Gloucester this Saturday and the players not selected will be disappointed.

There are always complicated issues in selection, particularly with such a big squad, so this week is no different to any other really.

Hopefully it will get harder to choose the team in the coming weeks with more players coming back from injury -- it will only make the team better.

Worcester's injury list is:

BACKS: Richard Tomlinson - broken leg, back in six weeks time. Rob Myler concussion - back this week after three weeks out. Ben Harvey - severe flu out for four weeks, back shortly. James Lofthouse - out for three months dislocated arm. Nick Baxter- missed two weeks with knee strain. Paul Holford - five weeks with muscle. Richard Le Bas - out for three weeks with knee strain. Jon Goodwin - hamstring trouble out for two weeks. Tim Smith - has missed two weeks this season. Steve Powell - broke a finger in the autumn.

FORWARDS: Neil Lyman - three week absence with ankle injury still three weeks away from fitness. Tom Robinson - finger injury six weeks ago, a month to go. Steve Lloyd - flu. Gary Clark - ankle injury, three weeks ago. Chris Scott - three months out with hamstring, returns in 14 days. Brett Scriven - three weeks absence with shoulder injury. Gordie Houston - ankle injury sidelined for three weeks. James Broady - three weeks out. Iain Watts - two weeks out.

Thursday, January 7, 1999.