Santiago Socino and Alex Craig: Gloucester hooker and lock out with prolonged injuries

Hooker Socino has scored seven tries in 13 appearances for Gloucester so far this season

Gloucester are without hooker Santiago Socino and lock Alex Craig for the foreseeable future due to injuries.

Socino and Craig both went off during the first half of Gloucester's win over London Irish on New Year's Eve.

"Both aren't good," head coach George Skivington told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

"Craigy's hurt his shoulder and Santi's got a knee injury, which we're waiting to see how long that'll be exactly."

Argentina international Socino, 30, has made 13 appearances for the Cherry and Whites this season, while Scotland's Craig, 25, has played five times.

"Not going to be quick returns for those lads unfortunately. We've got a busy physio room at the moment," Skivington added.

"I think Craigy will be surgery, I think Santi is to be decided. I think there's a chance Santi won't be surgery which is good news."

Gloucester are also without Wales winger Louis Rees-Zammit for the next month as he faces a race to be fit for the Six Nations, after hobbling off with an ankle injury in the defeat by Leicester on Christmas Eve.

Prop Fraser Balmain is already likely to miss most of the rest of the season after having knee surgery, while hooker Jack Singleton is similarly out for an extended period after having surgery on a leg injury.