Noah Heward: Worcester Warriors winger needs ankle surgery
- Published
Noah Heward scored Worcester's early second-half try in the 27-5 defeat at Bristol before suffering the injury just 13 minutes later
Worcester Warriors have been hampered by a double injury blow.
Winger Noah Heward, 21, needs surgery after picking up a "significant" ankle injury in the 27-5 Premiership defeat at Bristol on 6 November.
Warriors will also now be without Wales fly-half Owen Williams until January.
The three-times-capped Wales stand-off suffered a grade-three hamstring tear and had to undergo surgery after slipping when taking a kick against his old club Gloucester on 2 October.
Head coach Jonathan Thomas says that he is making "really good progress" following his operation and is "working hard" with the Warriors medical team but has confirmed that he will not be back before the new year.
Owen Williams suffered his hamstring injury taking a second-half conversion in the home defeat by his former club Gloucester on 2 October
Williams, who was making only his third appearance for Worcester, has suffered significant injuries in the past.
He had to pull out of Wales' defeat against Ireland in Dublin two seasons ago, where he was due to be one of the bench replacements but suffered a hamstring injury in the warm-up and had to miss the rest of the Six Nations.
The 29-year-old was also sidelined for nine months while at Leicester in 2015.
Full-back Melani Nanai, England internationals Ollie Lawrence and Willi Heinz, Scotland prop Rory Sutherland and hooker Beck Cutting are all back in training and in line to feature when the Premiership fixtures resume at Newcastle on 27 November, followed by the home derby with Wasps on 4 December.
But former England winger Chris Ashton continues to remain "unavailable for selection", having so far been unused this season following his arrival at Sixways in January.
Thomas has also distanced himself from media speculation after Warriors were linked with former Sale boss Steve Diamond in a 'coaching advisory' role - and also Exeter flanker Sam Skinner.
"I have always said it in terms of recruitment or anything like that, I won't comment on speculation," said Thomas. "It wouldn't be fair on anyone."
Warriors, without a game last weekend, are back in action on Saturday with a Premiership Cup game at home to Bristol.