CENTRE Andy Symons will be making his Worcester Warriors return after seven months on the sidelines in the European Challenge Cup derby against Gloucester.

Symons has not played since suffering cruciate ligament damage in the lead-up to Warriors’ Championship play-off semi-final second leg against London Scottish in May.

Warriors host Gloucester in a pool four match on Thursday before heading down the M5 for the return fixture at Kingsholm the following Thursday.

Head coach Carl Hogg said: “We missed him (Symons) at the tail-end of last season. He’s come back and his conditioning now is world-class.

“He’s a big man now, looks powerful in training and will be an addition to the squad.”

Wing duo Andy Short and Sam Smith, fly-half Tiff Eden, scrum-half Luke Baldwin and flanker Sam Lewis are still sidelined through injury.

But Warriors director of rugby Dean Ryan said: “We are starting to see a return of players.

“Andy Symons will be the first one back and Shorty is probably the closest to that and then, hopefully, Sam. Tiff is probably a couple of weeks away as well.

“We hope to have them back over the next few weeks and that’s a decent back-line.”

Ryan said Worcester-born Short had suffered a slight setback in his return from an ankle injury.

“Shorty had to have a little release on his recovery and was pulled back a little bit,” he said.

“Shorty might be pushing but Andy (Symons) is champing at the bit so he should be in contention for selection against Gloucester.”