WORCESTER Warriors powerhouse Darren Morris is facing five months on the sidelines after surgery on his injured shoulder and is touch-and-go to be fit for the start of the next Guinness Premiership campaign.

The versatile prop, who signed a new two-year deal last week, went under the knife on Saturday to re-attach his bicep and pectoral muscles as well as having work on his shoulder joint.

The former British Lion sustained the injury in Warriors' 17-14 victory over local rivals Gloucester at Sixways, but director of rugby Mike Ruddock is optimistic.

The Worcester boss said: "Darren has had his operation and the prognosis from his surgeon is good, but there was quite a lot of work to be done.

"They had to re-attach both his bicep and his pectoral muscles as well as doing some work on his shoulder.

"Hopefully he'll be fit for next season but he is looking at five months out."

Meanwhile, Ruddock left out a host of players carrying injuries for the weekend's 49-12 demolition at Wasps, but they have responded well and should be fit for the visit of high-flying Bath on Saturday.

The Welshman said: "We should have a more or less full compliment of players to select from for the Bath game.

"We will have to wait and see with Dale Rasmussen as he will be having a cogsport test for his concussion this week and it depends on the results of that if he can play or not.

"Sam Tuitupou should be OK though, as will Pat Sanderson and Matt Powell.

"Unfortunately, Netani Talei remains out for the foreseeable future as his knee problem is not clearing up at the moment.

In his first league game in charge of Worcester, Ruddock saw his side stutter to a 29-15 defeat at The Rec back in September, but he is expecting a better showing this time around.

He said: "The game will give us a good measure of how far we've come. We did not play well down there, but hopefully we've improved a bit since then and we can match them this time."