FORMER Scotland international Carl Hogg knows a thing or two about playing in the back row — an area where injury-ravaged Warriors are desperately short of options.

Sixways director of rugby Dean Ryan hasn’t had to persuade the ex-Melrose and Edinburgh flanker to pull his boots back on just yet, but the enforced absence of the likes of Jake Abbott and Semisi Taulava is causing headaches.

Ryan openly admits he’s in the market for a new flanker to help ease the strain on his over-stretched squad, but his right-hand man, head coach Hogg, is backing hard-hitting Sam Betty to fill the void at openside.

“I think Sam is more than capable of doing that job,” insisted former Gloucester forwards coach Hogg.

“He is a different type of seven to Jake, but he brings a level of physicality that is outstanding.

“The challenge for Sam is to have that physicality with some technical detail under-pinning it.

“There is no doubt, though, that Sam can operate at the top end at seven, just as he can at six, so we’re very fortunate like that.”

On the hunt for back-row reinforecements, Hogg added: “We haven’t been able to bring anyone in at the moment, but what injuries do is give opportunities for young people to put their hand up.

“That will happen this weekend and they will experience a top end Premiership game against a very good side in Northampton.

“We’ve got Cam Goodhue, who played on Monday night for the Cavaliers, and he has an opportunity to be involved this weekend and we can have some cover from Chris Jones, who has played in the back row before.

“We do have enough cover in the short term, but it gives someone like Richard de Carpentier the chance to come in.

“I’m sure he’ll learn a lot and we’ll learn a lot about him.”

Warriors have also had problems at fly-half where the coaching team have chopped and changed between Ignacio Mieres and Paul Warwick, seemingly unable to decide who their first-choice playmaker should be.

The decision-making hasn’t been helped by a series of unconvincing displays from both number 10s.

However, Hogg insists the coaching team are happy with the duo, despite third-choice stand-off Danny Gray featuring for the Cavaliers.

He said: “We will probably look for some consistency with the two we have got at the moment.

“At some stage, we need to define what we are going to move forward with and there is an opportunity for Ignacio and Paul to have some time in the saddle and move us around as a team.

“They offer different strengths, so depending on the challenges we face, we can use their differing skill-sets and they complement each other well.

“We are obviously looking at our options with the goal-kicking as it has obviously been disappointing.

“We are looking at opportunities and if Chris Pennell can stand up and take a few, then that’s great.”