WARRIORS director of rugby John Brain has hailed Chris Horsman "one of the leading players in Europe in his position" after the Welsh international agr-eed a new four-year deal with the club.

Brain is delighted to secure the signature of the 27-year-old prop but insists that he has not had to break the bank to keep him at Worcester until 2010.

A Welsh newspaper reported that Horsman's contract is worth £650,000, making him one of the world's highest-paid props, but Brain has described those figures as "nonsense."

"The speculation centres around the figures from Wales," said Brain. "When we signed Chris Horsman after Celtic Warriors went bust, there was the same sort of nonsense being talked.

"There was speculation but he was contracted to us for another 18 months and we took steps to secure him for longer than that.

"It represents good business for the club."

It has been something of a mixed week for Horsman, who has been at the club since July 2004 following the break-up of Celtic Warriors. He will go under the knife today to sort out the ankle problem that has been hampering him for most of the season.

Despite that injury, Horsman has been able to make an impression on the international stage and has enhanced his reputation as one of the Premiership's top tight-heads.

He said: "I am glad to be committing myself to a club that has the potential to compete on a European stage and the chance to work with coaches of John Brain's and Anthony Eddy's calibre over the next four years, which I consider to be my best years.

"It is too good an opportunity to turn down. Also, as a player, I consider myself extremely lucky to be part of a club that has such a forward-thinking chairman benefactor as Cecil Duckworth."

Horsman has been joined on the long-term injury list by lock Tim Collier, who needs an operation on his dislocated shoulder, which will keep him out for the rest of the season.

Collier, the Premiersip's heaviest player at just over 21-stone, damaged his shoulder in the Boxing Day match against Bath.

"He's suffered a similar injury to the one sustained by Andre Van Niekerk but not as bad," said Brain. "His shoulder did go out and come back in again.

"He requires surgery and that's likely to keep him out for the remainder of the season."

Collier has not started a Premiership game since the clash with Gloucester on the first day of the season and he has been replaced by Phil Murphy.

Brain also has Richard Blaze, Ed O'Donoghue and academy player Will Bowley at his disposal and is not planning to replace Collier.