SCOTLAND international Euan Murray will not automatically be Warriors’ first-choice at tighthead this season, according to Sixways director of rugby Dean Ryan.

The former Northampton front-rower missed the weekend’s 32-15 defeat to Leicester Tigers because he doesn’t play on Sunday’s due to religious reasons.

While Ryan, who also coached Murray at this year’s Six Nations during his brief stint as Scotland’s forwards coach, says he has no issue with the player’s decision, he admits it will hand opportunities to prop John Andress, who started at Leicester.

Ryan said: “Euan is not first choice — he could come in this weekend because he’s the equal of John. However, he will be first choice somewhere in the second-half of the season if I say he is.

“That’s when selections are made. Euan has a bigger CV than John, but John has started pretty well. He gave away some silly penalties and he’s aware of that, but in the scrum he’s done pretty well.

“I’m not going to allow Euan’s CV to say that he is number one choice — what I will do is to create opportunities for Euan, like I did in playing him for the Cavaliers at Gloucester on Monday — and we’ll see over the season which one comes through.

“I don’t want Euan thinking he’s first choice, I need him or John to prove to me they are first choice.”

Ryan added: “Euan doesn’t play on Sunday’s because of his religious beliefs — he’s put that out there and I’ve coped with that as Scotland coach.

“You have to accept what Euan is and work around that, otherwise you aren’t giving any support for the person.

“Yes, in an ideal world I’d prefer it if he didn’t miss Sundays as I’d have two strong tightheads, but at the same time I wouldn’t want to be without Euan.

“I don’t want to penalise him for his beliefs, but he is going to lose opportunities to play, which will give John more of a chance if he takes them. I have to find a way to make that a competitive area, because the balance between him and John is crucial.”

Meanwhile, Worcester have drawn a line under Sunday’s Dan Cole ‘biting’ incident. Warriors fly-half Ignacio Mieres suffered a cut to his finger but the situation has been written off as accidental.

Cole was not cited for the incident and both former Exeter play-maker Mieres and Warriors are eager to take the matter no further.

Mieres said: “I don’t really want to talk a lot about it — the matter is closed. They have said they are not going to cite him and I spoke with Dan after the game, so that is the end of the chapter.

“I know him from a long time ago when I was at Leicester. We talked and it was fine.”